Summer trips are back: get your EU digital COVID certificate to make it easier!

Última actualización Martes, 20/07/2021

Thanks to vaccination campaigns and the results from efforts to tackle the pandemic, this summer mobility starts to resume gradually.

As the summer season approaches and the pandemic situation across Europe starts to be stabilised, travelling for purposes such as tourism or volunteering becomes easier. The EU digital COVID certificate is one of the key measures in place as of 1 July that will be essential for your trips.  

What is the EU digital COVID certificate?

It consists of a QR code displayed on a device (like a smartphone or a tablet, that you can print if needed) and a digital signature, verified via the EU Gateway. The certificate will be available in your national language and English, and is issued for free.  

It will be valid for all EU 27 Member States as well as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The system will be in place for 12 months.

 

Who can create an EU digital COVID certificate?

All EU citizens who:

• have been vaccinated
• have tested negative
• recovered from COVID-19

If you are under 18, the Commission proposed that minors travelling with parents should be exempted from quarantine when the parents do not need to undergo quarantine, for example due to vaccination.

How will it make travelling easier?

Holders of a valid EU digital COVID certificate should in principle not be subject to testing or quarantine when travelling within the EU.

This certificate will ensure that your trips are easy and safe, nonetheless, make sure to check the conditions of entry to your destination at least 48h before your trip. You can easily do so at ReOpen EU, and if you still have doubts, get in touch with the national authorities of the country you’re travelling to. 

What about your personal data?

Given that the personal data contained in the certificates include sensitive medical data, a very high level of data protection is ensured.

The certificates will only include the minimum amount of information that is necessary. This cannot be retained by visited countries. For verification purposes, only the validity and authenticity of the certificate is checked, by verifying who issued and signed it. During this process, no personal data is exchanged. All health data remains with the Member State that issued an EU digital COVID certificate.