The EU countries and the European Parliament have agreed on the pass that should make traveling within the EU easier again. That's just in time for parliament to approve the digital 'Covid-19 certificate' for use during the summer holidays.
Travelers will soon be able to demonstrate with a QR code that they have been vaccinated against the corona virus, have tested negative or have already had an infection and are therefore protected. 100 million euros will be made available to make a limited number of corona tests free, reports D66 MEP Sophie in 't Veld, who negotiated with the member states on behalf of parliament.
The price of the corona tests with which someone who has not (yet) been vaccinated could still obtain a travel certificate was one of the main differences of opinion between the EU countries and the EU parliament. The latter wanted to make the tests free, because otherwise people would be at a disadvantage without vaccination. But the Dutch government, among others, insisted that the member states can determine this themselves.
"White smoke for the EU Digital Covid certificate!" Tweeted CDA MEP Jeroen Lenaers, another negotiator from parliament. In 't Veld speaks of a “minimal agreement”, but thinks that it has “succeeded in making the tangle of rules and restrictions a little smaller”.
Also read: EU countries may not be ready for corona pass until August