On Wednesday 19 January, the French Presidency of the Council of the EU launched the written procedure to adopt the delegated act setting the period of validity of the EU Covid certificate at 9 months (270 days) after the first vaccination and will try to have the revised recommendation on free movement adopted on 21 January. The latter revises, among other things, the methodology for the ECDC cards.
The Commission had proposed a delegated regulation on 21 December on the validity period of the EU Covid certificate (see EUROPE 12858/4). It should come into force on 1 February. At this stage, one Member State has reportedly expressed its opposition to this delegated regulation and some delegations have made comments, especially on the booster dose, for which no validity period is yet provided for in the certificate.
A qualified majority had not been reached on 19 January to prevent the delegated regulation from entering into force, according to one source.
On Friday 21 January, national ambassadors to the EU will also be invited to endorse the EU Council recommendation on a coordinated approach to facilitate safe and unhindered movement during the Covid-19 pandemic (see EUROPE 12840/1).
In its revised recommendation, the EU Council proposed, among other things, to stop measures concerning entire geographical areas and instead to take into account the vaccination or test status of travellers. The colour system for the ECDC cards remains in place, but must include the level of vaccination. In addition, a recent French Presidency compromise stresses the need to maintain increased vigilance in areas where the population is largely unvaccinated against Covid-19.
The draft text also provides for the lifting of health restrictions as soon as the epidemiological situation and the situation in hospitals allow. This recommendation, presented on 25 February and amended to include the latest Omicron variant, is also due to enter into force on 1 February. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)