The introduction of a single vaccination passport is compared by some experts to the introduction of the single European currency
95-year-old Jacques Delors, former 8th President of the European Commission and Member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1981, recently warned that a lack of solidarity is a "deadly danger for the EU." His words should be heeded: the "1992 Program" developed under his leadership in 1985 allowed the European Union to begin creating a single internal market, and the famous Delors Plan allowed Europeans to begin solving a historic task – the introduction of a single European currency.
Today, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the touchstone of pan-European solidarity is the coordination by EU member states of a form of personal document, the so-called Corona-Pass. Just as different EU countries print identical banknotes, they will have to print identical certificates that will allow people to travel freely across Europe and attend mass sports and other events. At the video summit held from February 25 to 26 in Brussels, this issue was one of those that sparked heated debate.
As "Russkaya Germaniya" notes, journalists learned about this debate after the summit ended, in an interview with Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, 34. He confirmed that he advocated for a single digital certificate for those who have been vaccinated or tested. "For this is the key to the doors of our past life," Kurz formulated the significance of this document. "We need a Europe again where the internal market works, where everyone can move freely, both for work and on vacation."
"People have had to endure a lot over the past year. They rightly want to see when they can again enjoy culture, sports, and gastronomy. This requires a good and practical technical solution. We are campaigning for a digital green passport across the EU, where everyone can easily prove with their mobile phone whether they have been vaccinated, recovered, or recently tested. Holders of such a document should have full access everywhere," Sebastian Kurz is convinced.
Angela Merkel also spoke similarly about such a certificate after the summit: "The European Commission wants to create the technical prerequisites in the next three months for connecting national digital vaccination cards to a pan-European system. Such a common system could be put into operation by the summer season."
Are there any travel benefits for vaccinated people? How will the certificate or Corona-Pass work? On these and other important issues, European Council President Charles Michel expressed his opinion. He expressed satisfaction that the 27 member states are getting closer and closer in their ideas. However, each country will decide for itself what rights are associated with the common document.
Austria, Bulgaria, and Greece want to give vaccinated, tested, and recovered people more freedom. Charles Michel mentioned Sebastian Kurz in this context, for whom the best model is the "green certificate" in Israel.
Just before the video summit, on February 21, 2021, Israel opened its "tourism and entertainment" infrastructure for its vaccinated and recovered COVID-19 citizens. Holders of "green certificates" are now allowed to visit gyms, swimming pools, fitness clubs, hotels (without restaurants), cultural sites and events, "green islands" on the Dead Sea, and the like. In the EU, this model is particularly attractive for southern countries, including Greece, Italy, and Spain, where the tourism business is an important source of state revenue.
As noted in the joint conclusions of the summit, work on a common vaccination card should now be advanced. So far, the 27 EU countries have only agreed that there should be mutually recognized proof of vaccination for medical purposes. It is planned to create a database for registering vaccinations and a personalized QR code for the vaccinated.
Regarding possible benefits for those who have been vaccinated, Angela Merkel emphasized: "Today everyone noted that at present, due to the low vaccination rate among the population, the problem is not this. But we must prepare." This does not mean, Merkel noted, that in the future only those with a vaccination certificate will travel: "No political decisions have been made on this matter."
The question of when a pan-European passport for vaccinated persons will appear was commented on by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to her, preliminary technical work will take at least three months. EU countries will have to hurry with their national vaccination cards so that they are operational by summer. She also stated that political and scientific questions remain open. The decision on what can be done with such a vaccination certificate must be made by each country independently.
And here again, Austria's position stands out: it does not rule out going its own way. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz calls on the European Commission to act immediately, writing after the video conference on Twitter: "I am glad that there is broad support among EU member states for the idea of a 'Green Corridor.' Now it is about implementing it as quickly as possible!" Greece and Cyprus have already concluded agreements with Israel on the future entry of vaccinated persons. Kurz does not rule out acting alone if there is no unified line at the EU level.