The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) recently discussed the details of the Digital Green Certificate proposed by the European Commission in March 2021.
“Our objective is to facilitate return to free movement within the EU in view of summer, in full respect of the principles of non-discrimination and data protection,” published EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders on Twitter after the LIBE meeting held on March 13rd, 2021.
Reynders is a key EU officer when it comes to the European COVID pass. He, together with other leaders, has been coordinating the EC proposal from the very beginning.
During the remote live event, several MEPs also shared their opinions and concerns about the deployment of the Digital Green Pass, especially in relation to its interoperability, how citizens’ data protection will be guaranteed and whether its launch can create discriminatory issues within the region.
Further clarification: how & when the EU COVID pass will be implemented
One of the most straightforward questions asked during the LIBE session was exactly how and when the Digital Green COVID will be deployed.
MEPs requested further details about its implementation since some of them, including MEP Javier Moreno Sánchez, consider that having the COVID certificate “by summer” is not sufficiently concrete.
In this regard, Reynders confirmed that “technical infrastructure work would be completed by the end of June.” It is yet to be determined how this timeline affects the plans of countries such as Spain, which expected to implement the EU COVID certificate by May.
The EU Justice Commissioner reiterated that the EU Digital Green Pass will only be functional during the COVID-19 outbreak. Once the World Health Organization declares the pandemic is over, the use of COVID certificates will be suspended.
Interoperability: Green Pass as a coordinated EU effort
In February 2021, before the European Commission officially presented its Green Pass proposal, the European Parliament advocated for a common approach on vaccine certificates.
Now, with the summer approaching, members of the EP are raising questions about the feasibility of making the Green Pass interoperable and coordinated across the region.
While MEP Tineke Strik said she supports the initiative since it is “a way to harmonize travel and free movement,” German member Cornelia Ernst asked herself how would the COVID pass work and be controlled when traveling by road. “Who is doing the border checks in the Schengen area?”, noted the MEP.
Nicola Procaccini stressed the need of establishing a “European entity” that manages the initiative, instead of global associations such as the World Health Organization. According to the Italian MEP, “the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control may be the appropriate body to handle the COVID certificate in Europe.”
Rapporteur Jeroen Lenaers said that “we don’t want 27 different COVID certificates in the EU, so we must ensure we have a clear, common approach.”
Netherlands MEP Sophia In ‘T Veld raised the question of whether “additional travel requirements such as quarantine should be excluded” once the Green Pass is fully in place. She also suggested the creation of a helpdesk to resolve issues related to the EU Green Pass when traveling abroad.
On this subject, Reynders pointed out that “Member States must provide clear, comprehensive, and timely information” regarding the use and control systems of the COVID pass.
He also insisted that “the certificate would not result in a central database created at the EU level.” Therefore, it is the responsibility of EU countries to prepare for the Green Pass deployment within their territories.
COVID Pass: How to guarantee data protection and avoid discrimination
However, most of the debate was centered on the possible data protection and discrimination issues that can come along with the Digital Green Certificate in the European Union.
Multiple LIBE MEPs had their take on these matters:
Health data accessibility when getting & checking Green Certificates
Ernst highlighted the importance of making the health certificate available not only in digital format but also in paper. “Not everyone has access to a digital form.”
According to MEP Pernando Barrena, “airlines and border personnel will have access to the Digital Green Certificate. Therefore, Commissioner Reynders must ensure that the EU proposals provide safeguards to protect such confidential data.”
MEP Strik said via Twitter that the COVID-19 pass is “a good step if we ensure that no-one is discriminated, our right to privacy is guaranteed and that it only applies as long as strictly necessary.”
Affordability of COVID test to make the Green Pass viable
In an article published by her party, Cornelia Ernst also said that “there are issues for older people without digital access. Many more citizens cannot afford to pay for the tests. We need equal access for all.”
Moreno Sánchez said the “European vaccine certificate must be free of charge, accessible, secure, and inoperable.”
MEP In ‘t Veld also sent an official request for the EU Commission “to put forward an urgent proposal for affordable COVID tests: free tests as well as a price cap. Not just for the holiday period, but also for cross-border workers and people in border areas.”
All of them agreed on the importance of confidentiality of health & personal data. Also, they reiterate the fact that there should not be any language discrimination against European citizens when obtaining the COVID pass.