Coronavirus: EU countries work on ‘green passport’ scheme to allow travel during pandemic
- The green passports are to be implemented in a consistent way across borders, Austrian Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger said on Monday
- Koestinger said border-free travel should be possible again in the European Union by summer, after speaking with her colleagues in France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain
A group of European Union members plans to present a list of priorities for the implementation of a scheme known as the green passport, which would facilitate travel in the bloc despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The green passports are to be implemented in a consistent and easy to use way across borders, Austrian Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger said on Monday, after a meeting with 12 other EU tourism ministers in Vienna.
The green passport is a certificate meant to contain information on the holder’s Covid-19 vaccination and test results or previous infections, to facilitate travel.
Koestinger said that border-free travel should be possible again in the European Union by summer, after speaking with her colleagues from countries including France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain.
She also called for consistent criteria for entry requirements across the EU, for instance regarding the acceptance of a negative coronavirus test to allow travel.
Austria is especially dependent on tourism and has pushed for the EU’s green passport project.
