The European Commission noted on Monday 12 July that while Member States can impose restrictions to contain the pandemic, these measures must be “proportionate and non-discriminatory”, said Christian Wigand, responsible for free movement issues.
The Commission has therefore “contacted” the Maltese authorities to ask for clarification of their plan, which will come into force on 15 July, allowing only vaccinated travellers with vaccination certificates to enter the country. “The vaccination certificate cannot be a precondition for free movement”, as the regulation that created the draft European certificate clearly states, added Christian Wigand. “We are concerned that these measures may discriminate against people who are not fully vaccinated”, the spokesperson added.
Malta’s decision to close its borders to unvaccinated travellers “is contrary to European rules”, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, stated critically on 11 July, according to AFP.
“I think we need to stick to our framework and apply it fully. This framework is the European health ‘pass’, which also allows people who have tested negative or recovered from Covid-19 to travel. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)