On Tuesday 27 June, the Council of the European Union adopted a Council Recommendation on membership of the global digital health certification network established by the World Health Organization (WHO), providing for temporary arrangements to facilitate international travel in anticipation of the expiry of Regulation 2021/953 (EU digital Covid certificate).
The Council Recommendation encourages Member States to participate in the development of the WHO global digital health certification network. Until Member States are connected to this network, and until the end of the year, they are encouraged to remain connected to the EU Gateway (the EU’s existing digital infrastructure for certificate verification).
The WHO’s global digital health certification network will incorporate the technology developed in the EU’s digital Covid certificates.
Member States are encouraged to connect to the global digital health certification network set up by the WHO. However, it is up to the Member States to decide if and when they wish to connect to it.
Once connected to the network, Member States are encouraged to issue and accept Covid-19 certificates compatible with the requirements of the network, particularly in the event of a public health emergency of international concern.
Member States are encouraged to follow and participate in the development of the WHO global digital health certification network, in particular with regard to its possible extension to diseases other than Covid-19.
The Commission will maintain the EU portal until the end of the year. Member States are encouraged to remain connected to the EU gateway and to continue issuing certificates identical to the EU digital Covid certificate, even after 30 June 2023.
The EU’s digital Covid certificate regulation expires on 30 June 2023 (see EUROPE 12981/29). On 5 June, the Commission presented a Council Recommendation on a global digital health certificate.
To see the recommendation, go to https://aeur.eu/f/7s2 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)