19/03/2021 (Agence Europe) – Speaking to members of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Standing Committee this morning, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe noted the institution’s contributions to the health crisis. Marija Pejčinović Burić also raised the issue of vaccination and highlighted on this point that the “Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine” (Oviedo Convention ratified by 29 Member States) requires free and informed consent of the patient for any medical intervention. With regard to the vaccination certificate, the Secretary General noted that any document reserving access to rights - to travel, for example - and to places or services would raise fundamental rights issues and could give rise to complaints that could ultimately end up before the European Court of Human Rights. (VL)