Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa welcomed the approval of the European Union Digital COVID Certificate, whose regulation he signed today , allowing the system to come into operation on 1 July, as scheduled.

 

“We now have the opportunity to travel freely and safely, but always respecting the health regulations”, because “we must continue to fight this pandemic”, said António Costa, representing the Council of the EU, alongside the Presidents of the European Parliament and of the European Commission.

 

The Portuguese Prime Minister believes that this is “an important step towards strengthening our economy and towards our recovery”. The certificate will facilitate movement between the 27 Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic, acting as proof of having tested negative, been vaccinated or recovered from the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The infographic below shows how it will work.

Approval in record time

At the ceremony for the signing of the regulation, the President of the European Commission pointed to the speed of the process that led to the EU Digital COVID Certificate. “We can be very proud and I congratulate everybody who made it possible, particularly the Portuguese Presidency, the Parliament and the Commission: they were able to reach an agreement in only two months, 62 days, an absolute record time”, said Ursula von der Leyen.

How the EU Digital COVID Certificate works

The main aim of the Digital COVID Certificate is to facilitate the movement of citizens in the European Union, operating as a “free pass” between Member States.