Background information

To facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Parliament and the Council adopted the EU COVID digital certificate regulation on 14 June 2021. Reliable data on how long people would be protected after the COVID-19 primary vaccine was not yet available at that time. Therefore, until now, it has been up to the Member States to lay down rules on the period of acceptance of vaccination certificates in the context of travel.

On 21 December 2021, the Commission introduced unified rules for the entire EU.

Content of measure

The rules on the EU COVID digital certificate set a binding period for the recognition of vaccination certificates for intra-EU travel of 9 months (exactly 270 days). In the Commission's view, a clear and uniform acceptance period for vaccination certificates will ensure that travel measures continue to be coordinated and restrictions are based on the best available scientific evidence and objective criteria. The Commission underlines that continuous coordination is essential for the functioning of the Single Market and will provide clarity for EU citizens in exercising their right to free movement.

Under the new EU rules on intra-EU travel, Member States must accept any vaccination certificate that is issued less than nine months after the last primary vaccination dose was given. Member States cannot provide for a shorter or longer acceptance period.

Use of measure

All EU citizens travelling intra EU.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
EU (Council, EC, EP)	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The social partners were not involved in the preparation of this initiative.

Views and reactions

The opinion of the employers' is unknown. In the opinion of trade unions (ETUC), it is important that local and mobile (cross-border) workers are treated equally when it comes to COVID-19 restrictions.

Sources

• 21 December 2021: Commission Delegated Regulation on the validity of vaccination certificates issued under the EU Digital COVID Certificate framework (ec.europa.eu)