The European Union’s digital vaccine passport system went live in seven countries from june 01 ahead of a full launch for all 27 member states on July 1.
The document, called a digital green certificate, shows whether someone has been fully vaccinated against covid-19, recovered from the virus, or tested negative within the last 72 hours.
Travelers who can prove they fit one of these three criteria are not required to be tested or go into quarantine. The certificate is now being accepted in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Poland.
The certificate is available in digital or paper form, free of charge. The gateway allows for all certificates’ QR codes to be accessed.The EU’s plan is for a single system to facilitate safe travel by verifying the pass holder’s coronavirus status – whether through vaccination, a recent negative test result, or proof of recovery from the virus.
The certificate comes in the form of a QR code, which can be either stored on a cell phone or printed out on paper. The data is not retained anywhere afterwards, the commission said, for security and privacy reasons.