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The vaccination status, test or disease status of a traveller will now be the main criterion for freedom of movement in the European Union in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and no longer the country from which he is travelling, EU ministers agreed on Tuesday at the General Affairs Council in Brussels, following the Commission's November proposal to simplify the rules.
The recommendation also states that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) charter should in future be based not only on the notification rate of cases in the last 14 days and the testing rate, but also on vaccination coverage.
Still, the new recommendation strengthens the emergency brake to deal with the emergence of new mutations, with the Commission able to recommend coordinated travel restrictions for high-risk areas.
According to the updated Council recommendation, pandemic response measures should be implemented taking into account the situation of each individual rather than the situation at regional level. The only exception to this rule will be travel from regions where the virus is circulating at very high levels.
This means that the determining factor as to whether an individual will be subject to restrictions on free movement will be a traveller's COVID-19 vaccination, testing or recovery status as recorded on a valid EU COVID-19 digital certificate.
The recommendation comes into effect on 1 February, at the same time as the delegated act which sets the maximum period of validity of the certificate for travel purposes at 270 days (nine months).
In particular, under the recommendation the vaccination certificate is valid if the traveller:
has been vaccinated with the last dose of the vaccination scheme or booster dose at least 14 days previously but not more than 270 days (Member States may also accept vaccination with formulations approved by national authorities or WHO)
has a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours prior to travel, or an antigen test (rapid test) carried out 24 hours before travel; or
have a certificate of illness and recovery valid for up to 180 days (six months) after the first positive test.
As noted, a Member State may require persons not carrying a digital certificate to proceed with a test before or at least 24 hours after arrival, with the exception of those travelling for essential services or necessity, those travelling across borders and children under 12 years of age should be exempt from this requirement.
In terms of ECDC charters, Member States are urged to implement measures for people travelling to and from areas in the "deep red" category (where the virus is spreading fastest), discourage unnecessary travel and require those without a certificate to be tested before departure and quarantined on arrival.
Some exceptions to these measures should apply to those travelling for essential services or necessity, those travelling across borders and children under 12.
Finally, as regards the emergency brake to address the emergence of new mutations of concern or interest, when a Member State imposes restrictions in response to the emergence of a new variant the Council, in close cooperation with the Commission and with the support of the ECDC, should review the situation.
At the same time the Commission, on the basis of its regular assessment of new evidence of variants, may also propose a discussion within the Council. During the discussion the Commission will have the possibility to propose to the Council to agree on a coordinated approach to travel from the affected areas. The situation will be reviewed regularly.
Commissioner Kyriakidou and Commissioner Raiders
They welcome the adoption by the Council of the EU of the Commission's proposal for simplification of travel regulations within the EU were expressed in a joint statement on Tuesday by Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou and Justice Commissioner Didier Raiders.
According to the two Commissioners, Member States "reaffirmed that possession of a valid EU COVID Digital Certificate should, in principle, be sufficient for travel for the duration of the pandemic", putting the certificate "at the heart of our coordinated approach."
"It is important that Member States follow up on this agreement and implement the agreed rules without delay. Each Member State decides on the basis of the circumstances it faces," they noted, but recalled that the Omicron mutation "has now spread across Europe and it is time to consider ending the additional travel measures that some Member States have taken in recent weeks, which make travel more difficult and less predictable across the EU."
"We now call on all Member States to quickly implement the common rules to ensure coordination and clarity for our citizens and travellers," stress the Commissioners."
Recall that under the EU Council decision on Tuesday, the main criterion for travel within the EU will now be the vaccination status or the possession of a negative test or recent recovery from COVID-19, rather than the epidemiological situation in the traveller's region of departure.
The two Commissioners stressed that since the beginning of the pandemic the Commission has proposed solutions "to ensure and facilitate safe and free movement in the context of the health measures made necessary by the pandemic."
"Close coordination at EU level is essential, not only for the functioning of the single market, but in particular to ensure clarity and security for people travelling within the EU," they underlined.
"Clarity and predictability for our citizens are crucial in order to travel safely, and this is achieved through the well-established and very successful EU COVID Digital Certificate," they added, noting that the fact that over 1.2 billion certificates have been issued "demonstrates the success of this tool, which is well established across the EU and worldwide."
Source: CNA
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