EU rolls out Digital COVID certificates, accepted in all member states

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Eu Covid
Eu Covid (Image credit: EU)

What you need to know

  • The EU is today rolling out Digital COVID Certificates across all of its member states.
  • It will provide users digital proof of vaccination, negative test, or having recovered from COVID-19.
  • The certificates are free and valid in all EU countries, and will "in principle" exempt travelers from free movement restrictions.

The EU has today announced it is rolling out its Digital COVID Certificates program to all EU countries, allowing users to carry digital proof of a COVID vaccine, a negative test, or having recovered from COVID-19.

The commission stated on Twitter:

We are bringing back the spirit of an open Europe.As of today, EU citizens can get their #EUCOVIDcertificate issued and verified across the Union.

The EU says the new Digital COVID Certificates will be digital proof of either a COVID-19 vaccine, a negative test result, or having recovered from COVID-19, it is free and features a scannable QR code to aid traveling between member states.

Certificates can only be issued by national authorities, such as a test center or health authority, and then stored digitally on a device like an iPhone. Citizens can still choose to carry a paper version if they prefer, but both feature a QR code and digital signature of authenticity. The EU says the new certificates will be accepted in all member states, and that when traveling any certificate could "should in principle be exempted from free movement restrictions". The EU says that members states should not impose additional travel restrictions on holders unless they are necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health.

The EU says it has built a gateway through which certificate signatures can be verified all across the EU, and that no personal data passes through the gateway. The EU has also confirmed the certificates are not a pre-condition to free movement, and that citizens not yet vaccinated can still travel to other EU member states. Member states themselves can decide to accept vaccination certificates for either one or full doses of the vaccine.

Thierry Breton hailed the move stating "they thought it was impossible... but we made it."

Stephen Warwick
Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9