Latvia will be the last of the EU countries to introduce the Covid-19 travel passport

The European Union (EU) is currently developing a so-called Green Certificate, or Covid-19 passport, which will make it easier to travel. According to the information available to the European Commission (EC), several European countries are ready to introduce this certificate already at the beginning of May, but Latvia only in August - the last from all EU countries. Does this mean that Latvian residents will not be able to set foot outside Latvia until then?

At Thursday's meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts informed his colleagues that Latvia is preparing a technical solution for the introduction of the so-called Green Certificate, which would allow travel to those who have vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19.

"This solution involves setting up a system by which a person can prove and certify that they have either recovered from Covid-19, have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or have a valid negative Covid-19 test. The European Union institutions have been discussing the creation of this Green Certificate system for several months now. We have sent the draft national position on this legal framework to the ministries for approval, and in parallel we are working on the preparation of a technical solution. It is planned that this certificate will work equally in digital format and in paper format. And it will be usable both in Latvia and abroad,” explained D. Pavļuts.

Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs urged to hurry up with the development of this certificate, as several countries, including France, intend to implement it already in May, but according to the European Commission, this certificate would start operating in Latvia only in August - the last among all European Union countries. According to information gathered by the EC on the implementation of the Green Certificate, France will be the fastest to implement it, followed by the Netherlands, Sweden, Estonia, and Croatia. In its turn, Latvia has provided the EC with information that the system is planned to be implemented only in August. All other EU Member States will have already done so. Luxembourg, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Finland will introduce this certificate a little earlier than Latvia.

"It is not only a question of travel but also the recovery of certain industries," said E. Rinkēvičs.

Lack of a certificate will not prohibit movement but will complicate it

To facilitate the free and safe movement of citizens within the European Union during the Covid-19 pandemic, on March 17, 2021, the European Commission proposed the creation of a Digital Green Certificate. The Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Artūrs Toms Plešs refuted the concern that without the Green Certificate the people of Latvia will not be able to go outside Latvia. However, it is up to the Member States to decide how to control the movement of people.

There could, for example, be a requirement for the traveler to comply with self-isolation in the absence of such a certificate. The carrier could also refuse its service if the passenger is unable to present this certificate, etc.

The head of the Australian airline Qantas has indicated that some intercontinental airlines might allow travel only for the vaccinated while banning all others.

The EC clarifies that any EU citizen or third-country national who is legally resident in the EU who has received a Digital Green Certificate should have the right to free movement. If a Member State still requires the holder of a Digital Green Certificate to comply with self-isolation or testing, it must inform the Commission and the other Member States of such a decision and give reasons for its decision.

At the same time, the EC emphasizes that people who have not yet been vaccinated will still be able to go to another EU country.

"The Digital Green Certificate should facilitate free movement inside the EU. It will not be a pre-condition to free movement, which is a fundamental right in the EU. The Digital Green Certificate can also prove the results of testing, which is often required under applicable public health restrictions. The certificate is an opportunity for Member States to adjust the existing restrictions on public health grounds,” reveals the EC.

Data will be safe

The Digital Green Certificate will contain the necessary basic information - name, surname, date of birth, date of issue of the certificate, relevant information about the vaccine, test, or recovery and a unique identifier. This information will be stored in a QR code, which can be read by appropriate devices if necessary.

"The certificates will only include a limited set of information that is necessary. This cannot be retained by visited countries. For verification purposes, only the validity and authenticity of the certificate is checked by verifying who issued and signed it. All health data remains with the Member State that issued a Digital Green Certificate,” explains the EC.

In several countries, vaccinated people already have benefits

Iceland since March has not required self-isolation for those who have received the Covid-19 vaccine. Everyone else must take the Covid-19 test and go in self-isolation when entering Iceland. A second test must be performed after five days. If it is negative, only then a tourist can go to see the wonderful nature of Iceland. The tests are paid for by the Icelandic state, but the self-isolation at the hotel must be paid for by the tourist himself.

Meanwhile, Greece and Cyprus have agreed with Israel to allow their citizens who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel between these countries without quarantine and testing. This will support the tourism industries of all three countries.

Covid-19 vaccinated people in Estonia also do not have to go in self-isolation.

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