To accelerate adherence to the third dose of vaccine against Covid-19, the European Union plans to limit the validity of the certificate to nine months for intra-European travel, after a first complete vaccination and in the absence of a booster dose.
According to the conclusions published this Thursday, December 16 by the Commission and the European Council, the leaders underlined, during a summit in Brussels, “the importance of a coordinated approach on the validity of the EU anti-Covid vaccination certificate”. The Commission will adopt a “delegated act on the matter” – which has a binding value – next week. It is expected to come into effect in February.
The Commission had, in a proposal on November 25, recommended that states accept vaccination certificates issued within nine months of receiving a second dose of vaccine, or a single dose in the case of the Johnson vaccine. Johnson. This nine-month period takes into account the guidelines of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) regarding the administration of booster doses after a period of six months, due to the decline in vaccine efficacy. It also provides for an additional period of three months to allow States “to adapt their vaccination campaign”, had indicated Brussels. On the other hand, no period of validity of the vaccination after the booster dose has yet been determined at this stage.
The European Union last summer put in place a common Covid certificate attesting to a vaccination, a Covid-19 infection less than six months old, or a negative test, to allow Europeans to travel between Member States as freely as possible, without being subjected to testing or quarantine. The use of this Covid certificate is regulated at European level, for intra-EU travel. However, its use by Member States for other purposes (access to restaurants, concerts or other events) falls under national legislation.