The President of the European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen supports the idea of a common vaccination certificate, which can be established by the EU, and issued by the Member States to every person who gets vaccinated against COVID-19.
In an interview for Portuguese media, Von der Leyen was asked regarding the proposal of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to introduce a common document that would be issued to EU citizens who receive the vaccine against COVID-19.
“It is a medical requirement to have a certificate proving that you have been vaccinated,” the President of the Commission said, welcoming the proposal of PM Mitsotakis on a mutually recognised vaccination certificate.
A week ago, the Greek Prime Minister sent a letter sent to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling on the European Commission to introduce a Coronavirus vaccination certificate in order to facilitate travel between the bloc.
In his letter, Mitsotakis pointed out that though vaccination should not become an obligation, but rather a matter of choice, only those who receive their vaccines should be permitted to travel from one EU country to another.
The idea seems to have been welcomed by Von der Leyen, who told Portuguese journalists that she largely agrees with the idea, during a European Commission visit to Lisbon organised by the Portuguese EU presidency.
“Whatever is decided – whether it gives priority or access to certain goods – is a political and legal decision that should be discussed at a European level,” the President said, adding that a document that proves people have been vaccinated should be a medical requirement.
The number of EU countries warning they are planning to introduce ‘vaccination passports’ which will enable their citizens who are vaccinated to prove it while their travel, is on the rise.
Denmark is one of the countries which any day now may present its ‘vaccination passport’, after the Ministry of Health and the Elderly announced at the beginning of January that the document would be ready before the end of the month.
However, the idea of COVID-19 vaccine certificates for travel may not be getting the support of everyone at this phase. The President of the European Council Charles Michel warned throughout the weekend that it might be too early to introduce such certificates, as they may “create enormous frustration in Europe.”
According to him, travel vaccine certificates’ topic is “sensitive in many European countries because some of them would have the impression that a certificate makes vaccination mandatory.”
Back in April 2020, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that a vaccine would for sure become mandatory for those wishing to travel throughout the Schengen Area, once it is approved and available.
