The European Green Corridor: How It Works and When to Begin

Pass, here we go. Since when? The European system that will make it possible to issue digital green certificates, or green corridors, valid throughout the European Union, will be “technically ready” on June 1.

A senior EU official in Brussels explains how it will operate in Adnkronos in light of the start of negotiations between institutions between Parliament and the Council on this particular issue which should start next week.

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Countries participating in the first phase

The practical implementation of the certification will depend on negotiations between the European Parliament and the European Council, but the goal is to finalize them and bring the regulation into effect by “the end of June”. At this stage, once the regulation is adopted, the green pass is no longer “optional”, but a “right” for every EU citizen, under the law. The first large group of countries (France, Malta, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Estonia, Sweden, Croatia, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Iceland and Greece) will start the testing phase “around May 10”.

The second phase

The second group (Latvia, Romania, Cyprus, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Denmark and Slovenia) will begin testing “towards the end of May”, while five other countries (Hungary, Belgium, Norway, Liechtenstein and Slovakia) decided not to do so. Participate in tests and contact the platform directly during the implementation phase.

How it works

The certificate will certify, through a QR code application or paper format, the vaccination against Covid-19, the number of doses received, the treatment for Covid in the previous six months and the presence of relative antibodies (by test), the negative result of a swab, Pcr or quick (will be negotiated Technical details on this from the participating legislators). After that, it would be up to each member state to determine entry requirements into their territory: these are exclusive national competencies and the European Union cannot impose anything in this area. Can only recommend.

No magic wand

The pass will not be the magic wand that solves everything, but it should facilitate travel in Europe, compared to the current situation in which it is still very difficult: “If a person from Belgium today wants to visit a relative in Italy for three days, the senior official remembers that they must Carrying out a five-day quarantine in Italy. ” He then has to “fill out four forms, take a PCR test and then take another test to stay in Italy for three days. When he returns to Belgium, he has to undergo another seven days of quarantine, with two PCR tests. In total, four PCR tests, 11 days.” From quarantine, with the presence of the police for internal communication, to visit a person for three days in another member state. This is the situation today and it should not be forgotten. ”With the Green Pass, or Digital Green Certificate,“ we will have a secure system that respects privacy, which proves that you may I received vaccination, swab, etc. “Of course, travel requirements will depend on“ Member States and the epidemiological situation ”at the end of June.“ This part does not go back to the technical system, which in any case will be in sync with the regulation. By the time you enter the regulation “In effect, the system will be ready to go. And then – and concludes with the source – there is a path you should take with member states to align travel requirements.”