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EU plans ‘green certificate’ to allow vaccinated travelers free access to European bloc

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The European Union has confirmed its plans to issue ‘digital green certificates’ to vaccinated members of its 450 million population, allowing them to travel freely across the bloc this summer, the UK’s Daily Mail reports. The new ‘passport’ would be issued to those who have been recently tested or who have recovered from the virus as well.

Tweeting about the plan on Wednesday last week, EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen wrote: “Today we strengthen the @EU_commission’s response to #COVID19 with: • Digital Green Certificates for free and safe movement in the EU • A common path to a gradual, safe and lasting re-opening.”

The British. having left the EU, will not be automatically entitled to a certificate, but could apply for one directly from the country they wish to visit, der Leyen added in a statement.

The plan has been the subject of heated discussion for weeks, as some member states are against the idea, the Mail said. France, for instance, has argued the plan is discriminatory as most of the EU population has not been vaccinated yet. Other states, like Greece and Spain, have advocated for early implementation of the plan in order to revive the tourist industries upon which they depend.

Reinforcing support for the certification plan, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told Czech public radio: “We all want the tourist season to start. We can’t afford to lose another season. Tourism, and also culture and other sectors that are dependent on tourism terribly suffer. We’re talking about tens of millions jobs.”