Abolished since mid-March, will the vaccine pass be back soon?
The European digital Covid certificate, in force until June 30, could in any case be extended for a year.
The European Commission wants it, the European Parliament approved it for the first time on May 5, and a new vote, initially scheduled for June 7, is set for June 23.
MEP RN Virginie Joron speaks of an "anti-democratic scandal, because it goes against individual freedoms".
On social networks, several Internet users opposed to the government's health policy or even frankly "antivax" are also rebelling.
We take stock.
What is the European Union Digital Covid Certificate?
This is a health pass that allows you to travel to countries that impose restrictions on entry to their soil, but also to participate in activities and enter places subject to such a pass. foreign.
In France, anyone with a health and then vaccination pass could obtain a “converted” version to European format.
“It is a tool available to each of the Member States”, describes Renew MEP Fabienne Keller.
There are several ways to obtain this European pass: having been vaccinated and presenting a complete vaccination schedule, having a recent negative test, or having recovered from Covid-19.
The text adopted by the European Parliament on May 4 provides that people participating in clinical trials of new vaccines will also be entitled to this Covid certificate.
Why could it be extended?
All countries have eased restrictions overall, and there is often no need to present any proof of vaccination or negative test to travel to Europe.
But "the virus remains widespread and it is impossible, at this stage, to determine the impact of a possible increase in infections in the second half of 2022 or the appearance of new variants", justifies the European Commission.
As a result, some countries could again require travelers to “present proof of vaccination, test or cure”.
This is why the European Commission wishes to extend the system for one year, i.e. until June 30, 2023.
Read alsoCovid-19: already the beginnings of a new epidemic rebound?
“It is important to ensure that EU citizens and their family members are not deprived of the possibility of using their EU Covid digital certificates, which are an efficient, secure and privacy to prove one's status, in the event that certain restrictions on free movement based on public health are still in force after June 30, 2022, ”details the legislative document.
“Basically, it was an exceptional device because it affects individual freedoms.
The European Commission does not provide a scientific study to justify what it is saying,” thunders Virginie Joron.
The elected official also denounces the fact that the public consultation, which collected nearly 400,000 opinions online, was "not taken into account more".
🔴 The voting date for the extension of the digital Covid certificate without debate has changed, it is scheduled for June 23.
https://t.co/eobycMvKXA
🎥 Video to come to explain this scandal to you.
https://t.co/qYfYtZLJDw
— Virginie Joron (@v_joron) June 6, 2022
On 4 May, MEPs approved by a very large majority (432 votes for, 130 against and 23 abstentions) such an extension, despite the opposition of the "European Conservatives and Reformists" and "Identity and Democracy" groups (including members the 17 elected RN).
The European Parliament must again look into the subject on June 23, in order to “definitively vote” the text, indicates Fabienne Keller.
“We are calm, a very very large majority of French people already had a pass”, adds the elected official.
What are the consequences if it is extended?
As long as European countries do not again impose proof of vaccination, negative test or cure to enter their soil or to access certain places or events, the extension of the European Covid certificate will not change anything in practice.
In France, for example, the vaccination pass is no longer imposed at the borders or anywhere in the country (except in hospitals) since March 14.
He was "suspended", according to the term used at the time by the former Prime Minister Jean Castex.
The legal framework allowing such a sesame to be imposed ends on July 31, in the current state of the legislation.
But this deadline could be postponed.
A new bill will be presented to the Council of Ministers on June 22, because the government intends in particular to keep the information systems for tracking the epidemic and to keep the possibility of maintaining certain measures, indicated this Wednesday its door- floor, Olivia Grégoire.
