The idea seems laudable.
Create a vaccination passport, or "green digital certificate", offering a blank check to travel abroad, while only 3.5% of the European population has so far received two doses of vaccination, and that the deliveries of 'AstraZeneca are experiencing significant delays.
The European Commission unveiled its project on Wednesday at a conference that brought together the President of the European Executive, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Commissioners Thierry Breton (Internal Market) and Didier Reynders (Justice).
But not all member states seem convinced.
In just four months, the second summer vacation of the Covid-19 era will begin.
There was no question for Europe to relive the same slump as last year, with the economic consequences that followed.
“And again, remembers a member of a ministerial cabinet attached to Bercy, the months of June, July and August followed the first deconfinement, and the activity had resumed some colors.
"
READ ALSO>
Vaccination passport for travel: where are we in the world?
The European Union is therefore working on the creation of a certificate that would make it easier for people who have been vaccinated, but also for those who have already been infected, to travel within its borders.
"We will do everything in our power to ensure that the device is ready by June, in order to be deployed for this summer," Thierry Breton recalled during the conference.
In the smartphone or on a paper document
"The certificate can be contained in a smartphone or on a paper document," Didier Reynders said at the same conference.
It will be provided with a QR code which will certify that its holder has been vaccinated against Covid-19, with the date of vaccination and the type of product, and whether or not it has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. (EMA).
He will also specify that the same holder has passed a negative PCR test, or that he is immune following his infection.
"
Enough therefore to allow countries whose economy is strongly oriented towards tourism to be able to rebuild their health.
Thus, unsurprisingly, the vaccine passport is claimed by European countries very dependent on this sector such as Greece or Cyprus.
Other states, on the other hand, and in particular Belgium, are more reluctant.
They see in this proposal a new layer of binding rules.
As well as an attempt to take power by the EU in the field of health.
This is in fact still today essentially the competence of the Member States, with Brussels generally contenting itself with issuing non-binding recommendations.
A certificate approved by Parliament and Member States
Finally, another obstacle, and not the least: the certificate is contained in a proposal for a more comprehensive regulation, which will have to be approved by the Member States and the European Parliament in order to be adopted.
READ ALSO>
Covid vaccines wreak havoc in Europe
The health passport project is therefore already promised to thorny discussions between the Twenty-Seven.
The European executive is fully aware of this and is working out its weapons, including financial ones, to try to convince.
"We want to discuss it with the co-legislators (
Editor's note: from each member state
) and have an open debate with Parliament," Didier Reynders said.
Of course there will still be a lot of things to do in each country to organize the procedures with the digital instruments.
We are also going to provide them with support of 50 million euros to assist them in setting up these instruments.
"
