The United Kingdom and Armenia have become part of the EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate System today, on October 28, after meeting all the conditions to become part of the system, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
The European Commission has adopted two equivalence decisions on the COVID-19 certificates issued by the UK and Armenia for travellers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, those who have recovered from the virus, and those who test and result negative.
“Good news for travellers to the UK and Armenia! Today, we adopted two new decisions certifying that COVID-19 certificates issued by these two countries are equivalent to the EU Digital COVID Certificate,” the EU Commission revealed in a tweet today.
The move means that the COVID-19 certificates issued by the UK and Armenian authorities will be recognised under the same conditions as EU Digital COVID Certificates, starting from October 29, when the decision enters into force.
Commenting on the decision, the EU Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said the EU Digital COVID Certificate has made safer travel a reality and is now a leading global standard.
“45 countries in four continents are connected to the system, and more will follow in the coming weeks and months. We are open to other countries to join our system,” the Commissioner said.
Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Croatia and Poland were the first countries to join the gateway on June 1 by starting to issue the first COVID-19 passports in the block. By mid-July, all EU and Schengen Area countries had become part of the system, as well as the European Microstates of San Marino and the Vatican City.
On August 20, the EU Commission adopted three equivalence decisions for North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine, thus recognising the COVID-19 passports issued by these three countries.
Later, on September 16, the Commission recognised the certificates issued by Albania, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Israel, Monaco, Morocco and Panama.
To date, the list of third countries, COVID-19 certificates issued by which will be recognised as equal to those issued in the EU, consists of the following.
- Albania
- Armenia
- Faroes
- Israel
- Morocco
- North Macedonia
- Panama
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
The UK has been trying to have its NHS Covid Pass recognised under the EU’s digital vaccine certificate programme since early summer, on July 28. Now that it finally has joined the programme, not everybody seems to be happy with the decision.
“Obviously good news and some collaboration- However I love the way the UK & Armenia are in the same statement…says everything about where Boris Johnson has taken us! No disrespect to Armenia, of course!” a Twitter user wrote.
“But what about our Independence and our Sovereignty! I’m not going through all the pain of Brexit to have some EU system foisted on me!” another one commented.
Since the launch of the EU COVID-19 passport, more than 591 million certificates have been generated until mid-October.
According to the EU Commission, the document has also been a key component in supporting Europe’s tourism industry that has been severely affected by the pandemic.