Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia, Ambassador Sem Fabrizi talked to the Blic daily, focusing mostly on the European Commission proposal to create a digital green certificate for travel inside the EU.
The announcement that the EC is preparing a decision on the introduction of “COVID passports”, digital green certificates, for travel within the EU has attracted a lot of attention. To clarify, to whom they refer and what will they look like, what will they contain?
Well these are several questions in one. There are a number of elements to clarify here.
First of all – the objective of this initiative. The digital green certificate is meant to ease travel within the European Union, which at the moment is made difficult because of the pandemics. The right to free movement inside the European Union remains one of the core elements of the EU. So we are not restricting things. On the very opposite we are easing travel inside the EU in line with the objective to return gradually to normality and in full respect of health conditions.
Second – the content of this proposal. This is a certificate and not a passport. It will be available digitally and on paper. The certificate will be free of charge and will be available in English and the national language. The certificates will contain an interoperable QR code with necessary key data as well as a digital signature. The QR code is used to securely verify the authenticity, integrity and validity of the certificate. A person travelling within the EU can obtain this certificate either by being vaccinated, by showing a negative PCR-Test, or by having a proof of sufficient anti-bodies after recovering from Covid-19. Digital Green Certificate should be issued to EU citizens and their family members, regardless of their nationality. It should also be issued to non-EU nationals who reside in the EU for instance. It should also be issued to visitors who have the right to travel to other Member States
Third – the possible impact on non – EU Countries and citizens. At the moment – there are a number of restrictions for traveling into the EU (including compulsory quarantine, PRC tests). Under this new proposal, a non-EU national could request a Digital Green Certificate from a Member State s/he is travelling to, by providing all necessary information, including reliable proof of vaccination. The Member State would then have to assess if reliable proof has been provided and decide whether to issue a Digital Green Certificate. In the medium-term, where the Commission is satisfied that a third country issues certificates in compliance with international standards and systems which are interoperable with the EU system, the Commission can issue an “adequacy decision” through an implementing act based on the regulation proposed. Then, such third country certificates would be accepted under the same conditions as Digital Green Certificates.
Fourth – the procedure. In the EU system, the Commission put forward a legal proposal (yesterday), for which the European Parliament and the Council of Member States to have it adopted. At the same time technical preparations have to be done by the Member States and on EU level to ensure we have a working, interoperable system. We aim to have all this in place and working by the summer for a gradual return to normality and travelling and holidaying again in safety.
Does that certificate accept all vaccines, or only those approved in the EU?
This new mechanism is for EUMS to mutually recognise issuing of digital green certificate for vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency. Member States can decide to accept other vaccines in addition and enter into bilateral agreements.
We are working on the interoperability of the certificate with WHO and we will see how this process develops in the coming months.
What rules will apply to those who cannot or do not want to be vaccinated?
All people – vaccinated and non-vaccinated – should benefit from a Digital Green Certificate when travelling inside the EU. To prevent discrimination against people who are not vaccinated, the European Commission proposes to create not only an interoperable vaccination certificate, but also COVID-19 test certificates and certificates for persons who have recovered from COVID-19.
When could this decision start to be implemented in practice?
Aim is to have digital green certificates in place for the summer. This is why we have to move fast over the next three months, the Commission but also the Member States.
While the legal proposal is being taken forward, the Commission will work on the technical specifications and build a gateway to exchange signature keys that are necessary to verify the authenticity of a certificate. We will also support Member States to develop their software to verify certificates.
In parallel, Member States need to prepare the roll out and implement the technical specifications at national level.
Should we expect even harsher conditions?
I am not sure what you imply talking about harsher conditions. Since the pandemics the travelling around the world has been enormously disrupted. Is the pandemic that made the conditions for travelling difficult in same cases almost impossible. The green digital certificate objective is to provide clarity and predictability for travelling again (airplane, booking holidays, business travel). People in the EU and from around the world should be in a position to plan and travel in safety and certainty. The green digital proposal is a step to re-open the EU and to ease travel inside the European Union and slowly also beyond. Everyone will benefit from this
Could it happen, as it is now speculated, that the citizens of Serbia who were vaccinated with the Russian and Chinese vaccines (which were not approved by the European Medicines Agency) and which are the most, could not enter the EU countries without additional analyzes and that means additional costs?
Another speculative question –as you point out yourself. We have to see what will be the content of the final decision. The proposal at hand aims at aligning the mutual recognition of EMA-certified vaccines. But Member States can decide to accept other vaccines in addition.
Let me also add that a procedure for the potential authorisation of Sputnik V is ongoing, while, from what I know, no Chinese vaccines are undergoing review by EMA as the agency has not received any request in this regard.
But it should also be reminded that proof of vaccination is only one of three possibility here. Test certificates like a PCR test or a rapid antigen test as well as certificates for persons who have recovered from COVID-19 are also a possible alternative.
So in my opinion, one should not merely focus now on the type of vaccine but also the different alternative ways of proving that one can have such digital green certificate. And we need to see the fact as pointed out earlier that member states can recognize other vaccines if they decide to do so.
Could it happen that each EU country introduces its own rules for the entry of citizens from non-EU countries?
This is a very pertinent question. Commission’s proposal is exactly to provide a common system to facilitating free movement and easing restrictions for all Member States and prevent un-coordinated measures. It should allow people, for instance, to avoid quarantine, if a Member State does not require it for vaccinated persons.
Given the EU’s weak response to vaccine procurement, problems with AZ, and the Russian and Chinese vaccine guards, how do you comment on criticism that politics has mixed fingers and fear of the influence of China and Russia placed above the health of citizens?
I do not agree with characterize EU’s response as ‘weak’. On the contrary. Health has been always a competence of the individual Member States. The pandemic – which knows no border – has forced the Members to take a common action in a very short period of time. While preserving the integrity of the EU system, particularly of the single market, we have led a global response based on the principle that ‘no one is safe until everyone is safe’, without disrupting the free flow of goods (including vaccines) and services around the world. In less than one year, EU has propped up the global response (we pledged 2.2 billion euros for Covax), we have pumped funds in the pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines at breaking neck velocity and we are now rolling out a vaccination on EU – level. We are talking of vaccinating 450 million people in respect of safety and health of the people.
The real characterization would be a ‘tough start’ as President von der Leyen highlighted in one of her recent press conference. The essential problem why the EU is not yet where we should have been to in terms of percentage of people vaccinated expected in Q1 is that some of the pharmaceutical companies have not been able to fulfill their contractual obligations they committed to. The EU average for vaccination stands now around 12 %, with some EU Countries, as Malta, already at 25% of its citizens, but is clearly we need to go faster. We remain focused on the objective to have 70% of adults fully vaccinated by the end of the summer. BionTech-Pfizer and Moderna are delivering on their contracts. Johnson & Johnson vaccines are to arrive in April and this is a one shot vaccine.
You were vaccinated, along with other diplomats, are you satisfied with what the whole process looked like?
Indeed the government of Serbia was very caring in introducing a vaccination mechanism for the accredited diplomats and their families. I believe it embodies its best sense of solidarity and generosity. I am glad that my colleagues from the EU delegation and member states and I have received the vaccine. Once again I would like to thank the Serbian medical institutions for taking care of us and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the outstanding organisation and commitment. This is certainly something Serbia can be proud of.
I would also take pride in the support the EU provided to Serbia since the outbreak of the pandemics. I am very happy that the 200 Serbian health workers we have hired since last summer with EU funds have treated over one million patients in Serbia, through testing, treating or vaccinations. Until the end of February they have vaccinated 760,000 people in Serbia. I have met them when I received my first dose of vaccine at the Batut institute. They are rightly part of EU-Serbia campaign called “Oni su heroj”.
In Serbia, we also encounter resistance to vaccines, how do you see that?
I regret seeing reluctance to vaccination anywhere not just in Serbia but around the world. We need to trust science, that’s why in the EU we are so rigorous in the scientific medical process. I don’t see how we will be able to win the battle against Covid 19 without vaccination. There is no other tool at hand than this. Pandemics over history have been terribly disruptive of lives of people. Science has developed vaccines. Life expectance we have globally achieved is because of progress in medicine and appropriate health public policies, including on vaccination. Achieving herd immunity with safe and effective vaccines makes diseases rarer and saves lives and thus I believe it is vital that we all get vaccinated. It is a personal responsibility but also a duty towards the community in which we also live. I and my family got vaccinated in Serbia. My mother – who is 92 – is waiting for her vaccination in a week’s time in Rome. She – as me – has no doubt in the science.
Serbia has received almost 12 million euros in aid from the EU for the fight against the corona virus, when will that money be able to be used?
Let me recap that so far the EU has already donated 17 million euros in emergency medical help for Serbia. In addition to funding doctors I mentioned earlier, we have lent our support to transport masks, gloves and ventilators from all over the world at the outbreak of the pandemic, we have provided hospitals with triages containers and other vital equipment. We are continuing working. A delivery of 20 new special ambulances and triage containers for Covid will take place tomorrow.
Serbia is also eligible for the EU Solidarity Mechanism on equal footing with Member States. Serbian Government made the request last year – well coordinated by the Ministry of European integration – with a detailed and comprehensive documentation. Many other EU Member States have submitted the same requests. The Commission adopted last week the proposal to allocate the funds that now must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council for all EUMS and candidate Countries. Serbia will receive almost 12 million Euros. A substantial amount of free funds. These will be directed to the budget of Serbia and function as a reimbursement to money paid by Serbia already in the area of emergency support to the population
Support will also continue. With my colleagues at Delegation we run over 300 projects in Serbia funded – free of charge by EU taxpayers – by the EU in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders. No one else is doing the amount of work the EU does for the prosperity and welfare of Serbia and support the accession process.
Read the interview on this link.
