More than 400 Members of the European Parliament have fully expressed their support for extending the technical validity of the EU COVID-19 digital certificate for another 12 months, both for EU citizens and for third-country nationals.
In a press release issued on 23 June, the European Parliament approved the agreement with the Member States to extend the legal framework of the EU COVID Digital Certificate. It was supported by 453 members, while 119 were against and 19 abstained. Regarding the maintenance of the scheme for third-country nationals, 454 voted in favor, 112 against and 20 abstentions.
While the existing scheme was due to expire a week later, on 30 June, the newly approved scheme will remain in force until June 2023. However, the new test allows the EU Commission to end the scheme after six months if the certificate does not may be necessary.
"The European Commission will assess the impact of the EUDCC on free movement and fundamental rights by the end of 2022. It may propose to repeal it if the public health situation allows, based on the latest scientific recommendations from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Committee health security", Notes the European Parliament in a press release issued after the plenary.
The new approved text insists that EU countries must refrain from imposing disproportionate or discriminatory restrictions on freedom of movement through the COVID digital certificate.
"We hope that this is the last extension and we have instructed the Commission to assess by 31 December 2022 whether the EUDCC could be repealed as soon as the epidemiological situation allows.”. Now that the text has come out of Parliament's hands, the EU Council should formally adopt it and it will enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Gazette.