The Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) today gave its unanimous support to the political agreement reached with the European Parliament on 20 May on the EU digital COVID certificate.

The aim is to facilitate safe and free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19. The certificate, which will be in use by 1 July, will be available in digital and paper format, contain a QR code and be issued free of charge. It is not a precondition for exercising free movement rights and it is not a travel document.

The certificate is an important step towards a more normal, freer and safer life during the pandemic. It will facilitate the free movement of all Europeans, starting this summer. And it shows once again that the EU delivers. Member states will need to remain vigilant with regard to the epidemiological situation so that movement in the EU is safe, but at the same time our societies and economies can gradually recover.

António Costa – Prime Minister of Portugal

Affordable and accessible tests

• Member states are encouraged to ensure that tests are affordable and widely available.
• 100 million euro will be available for the purchase of tests under the Emergency Support Instrument.
• Additional funding above 100 million euro could be mobilised, subject to approval by the budgetary authorities.

Travel restrictions

• It remains up to national governments to decide whether travellers with a certificate have to quarantine or get tested.
• Member states should refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions, such as testing or quarantine, unless they are proportionate and necessary to safeguard public health.
• If they decide to introduce travel restrictions, member states must inform the other member states and the Commission, if possible 48 hours in advance.
• They must clarify the reasons for such restrictions, their scope and the start date and duration.
• This information should be published 24 hours before the measures come into effect.

Phasing-in period

• For a period of six weeks, citizens whose certificates were issued before 1 July will be able to travel within the EU using those certificates.
• If a member state is not ready to issue certificates in the new format by 1 July, it will have six weeks from that date to introduce the new EU digital COVID certificate format. National certificates in other formats will be accepted during the phasing-in period.

Types of vaccine

• When a person presents a vaccination certificate for one of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), member states will be obliged to accept it for the purpose of facilitating freedom of movement. The proposed legislation gives member states the option to accept vaccination certificates issued for vaccines which have been authorised nationally or have completed the WHO (World Health Organisation) emergency listing process.

Types of test

• Only PCR and rapid antigen tests will be accepted as proof of a negative test result.
• Only PCR tests will be accepted as proof of recovery. Rapid antigen tests, serological tests or other validated methods might be accepted at a later stage if scientific evidence becomes available.

Data protection

• There will be no centralised EU database.
• Member states must implement robust safeguards in line with EU data protection rules.

Background

The legal framework for the certificate consists of two legislative proposals that were tabled by the European Commission on 17 March.

The first proposal concerns EU citizens and their family members and the second concerns third-country nationals staying or residing legally in the Schengen area.

Under the proposals it will be possible to use the certificate across all EU member states, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The certificate will also be open to initiatives being developed globally.

The Council adopted its negotiation position on 14 April, while the European Parliament adopted its position on 29 April. After four trilogues and several technical meetings, the interinstitutional political agreement was reached on 20 May.

Next steps

The Council will now send a letter to the European Parliament to officially communicate that the member states’ permanent representatives have endorsed the political agreement.

The European Parliament is then expected to vote its first reading position at its plenary session on 7-10 June. Afterwards the Council will officially adopt the regulations which will have to be signed by the Council and the European Parliament. Once the signature of the legislation has taken place, the regulations shall be published in the Official Journal of the EU and apply from 1 July.

Merci beaucoup Ursula (von der Leyen) […], merci beaucoup Mario (Draghi) et bravo pour cette initiative. C’était important de nous rassembler, même si c’est virtuel, mais nous sommes tous de tout cœur en Italie, à Rome, pour ce sommet du G20 sur la santé.

Nous faisons face à un choc mondial et c’est un choc qui nous met sous pression. Qui nous ébranle sur le plan sanitaire, sur le plan économique, sur le plan social. C’est aussi un choc qui a mis sous pression nos libertés les plus personnelles. Et nous sommes dans un moment difficile parce que nous sommes au cœur d’une bataille. C’est une course contre la montre pour vaincre le COVID-19 et dans le même temps, et c’est le sens aussi de cette réunion, on doit préparer le monde d’après le COVID-19.

Il y a évidemment un premier point qui est essentiel, beaucoup l’ont dit et je veux également appuyer ce message: on doit travailler tous la main dans la main pour assurer un accès équitable et global aux vaccins. C’est une responsabilité partagée. Nous devons tous être engagés pour cette bataille.

Il y a plusieurs choses concrètes que nous devons faire pour pouvoir agir. Premièrement, c’est notre responsabilité à nous tous, les membres du G20, de garantir les chaînes d’approvisionnement. C’est notre responsabilité de garantir aussi les exportations. Et, plusieurs l’ont dit avant moi, l’Union européenne, depuis qu’elle est en capacité de produire des vaccins, a veillé à ce que, dans les faits, autour de 50 % des doses produites sur le sol européen puissent être exportées, y compris dans le cadre de l’initiative COVAX.

Le troisième point, et beaucoup l’ont dit également, c’est l’importance de renforcer les capacités de production partout et spécialement sur le continent africain. Mais je n’oublie pas non plus l’Amérique latine. J’ai eu l’occasion, les dernières semaines, de m’entretenir directement avec plusieurs leaders africains, qui ont tiré la sonnette d’alarme. Et c’est dans cet esprit qu’avec la Commission européenne, mais également avec un rôle important joué par l’Organisation mondiale du commerce, et je veux saluer l’implication de Mme Ngozi, on a développé cette idée d’une troisième voie, du partenariat public-privé, avec la mobilisation de capacités financières pour traiter très concrètement ces questions non seulement liées à la propriété intellectuelle, mais également aux transferts de technologie et au transfert de know-how. Afin, dans les meilleurs délais, de pouvoir rencontrer cet objectif.

Enfin, l’Union européenne est mobilisée aussi pour accélérer des capacités au travers de nos États membres et de la Commission européenne, à mettre à disposition des doses pour nos partenaires, spécialement pour les régions les plus vulnérables. Nous avons été engagés pour initier et soutenir fortement le projet COVAX ou encore le projet ACT-A.

Et puis, il y a un deuxième point que je voudrais aborder brièvement: se préparer pour le futur, être plus robuste, rendre le monde plus résilient. Je m’inscris naturellement dans l’appel qui est lancé par le panel indépendant, qui encourage à réviser l’architecture internationale en matière de santé. Je vais me concentrer sur cette idée qui a été mise sur la table: un traité pour les pandémies. Je me réjouis qu’avec le docteur Tedros on ait pu beaucoup progresser, avec beaucoup d’entre vous également, afin d’identifier le cadre et les thèmes dans le cadre desquels nous devrions, ensemble, communauté internationale, tirer les enseignements pour rendre la capacité de réaction internationale plus solide, plus efficace, plus rapide à l’avenir.

Ce traité pourrait prendre en considération la nécessité de mieux prévenir les crises, c’est-à-dire réduire les risques. Ce traité pourrait aussi veiller à faciliter les échanges de données, scientifiques notamment, veiller à ce qu’il y ait de la transparence. Veiller aussi à assurer la capacité pour l’avenir de mieux coopérer sur les mesures de restriction des déplacements qui ont dû être prises dans le passé, ou encore pour s’assurer que l’on puisse garantir les chaînes d’approvisionnement.

Je me réjouis aussi des contributions de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce en lien avec l’Organisation mondiale de la santé, qui ont décidé de s’inscrire dans cette démarche. Je sais qu’il y a encore quelques hésitations. Il y a encore quelques doutes sur la question de ce traité. Je forme vraiment le vœu que l’on puisse très rapidement lever les inquiétudes. Peut-être corriger les malentendus, quand il y en a. Il y aura une réunion très importante la semaine prochaine dans le cadre de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé. Ça pourrait être le point de départ pour lancer un groupe de travail opérationnel afin d’être réunis autour de la table et de fixer cette ambition, de mettre en place un cadre juridique qui puisse conforter politiquement les leçons de cette crise COVID, pour rendre le monde plus robuste et plus solide à l’avenir.

Voilà chers amis, les quelques éléments que je voulais partager avec vous. Soyez certains, comme Ursula a pu déjà le dire, comme le président du Parlement européen l’a indiqué, que l’Union européenne sera au rendez-vous de la coopération internationale, de la solidarité pour rendre le monde plus solide, plus équitable et plus juste.

The location and the format (physical or virtual) indicated for each meeting are subject to change.

Special meeting of the European Council, 24-25 May

EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss EU’s response to COVID-19, climate change and external relations.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 26-27 May

Ministers will discuss the CAP reform package and a series of other topics including organic farming, new genomic techniques, plant reproductive material and the EU’s priorities for 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.

Competitiveness Council, 27-28 May

On Thursday, ministers responsible for the internal market and industry will be focusing on the digital services package, access to critical raw materials, the future of tourism in Europe and better regulation.

On Friday morning, research ministers will be focusing on the EuroHPC joint undertaking, the renewal of ERA and the upgrading of researchers’ careers in Europe. In the afternoon, space ministers will debate the EU’s position concerning space traffic management and adopt conclusions on new space and space for people in coastal areas.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Transport), 3 June

Ministers will aim for a general approach on the Single European Sky, hired vehicles, and third country certificates in inland navigation. The Council is due to adopt conclusions on railways and on sustainable and smart mobility, and will discuss the latter topic.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Telecommunications), 4 June

Ministers will assess progress on the Data Governance Act and on measures for high common level of cybersecurity across the Union. They will discuss the topic of “2030 Digital Compass: How to chart the way towards the EU’s digital future”.

It is great to have the opportunity to be here in Lisbon, to be with Minister Leão and the Portuguese presidency. And I want to begin by thanking the minister and his team for the efficiency of the organisation of our meeting and for their hospitality. It is much appreciated by all of us.

Just on my behalf to give you an update on our Eurogroup meeting this morning. We began our reflections on where we are from a growth point of view with an update from the leaders of our institutions who are here today. It began with a perspective from where we are with our recovery. The view of ministers is that we have made progress with an accelerating vaccination programme. We have also made progress through the deployment of the SURE programme and through the effective economic decisions within the euro area by finance ministers, supported by the work of President Lagarde and our bank.

As we look at where we are, we are positive about the progress that we have made. But we are also very cautious about the outlook. We can see a recovery taking hold. But we also know that the challenges remain great, that the risk of scarring, the risk of damage from this pandemic in our societies, for our citizens and on the balance sheets of employers continues to be real. So all ministers and the institutions are committed to delivering a recovery that can be sustainable, that can be sure, and that can allow our societies to recover from the effects of this disease and we acknowledge that there is much work to do in that journey. But we will continue that journey with economic policies that are supporting our economies in recovery and with a vaccination programme that day by day, week by week, is nurturing our societies back to health.

From that, we then moved on to a discussion on our work programme, which was agreed by the Eurogroup. The work programme, as we do every six months, laid out the work that we are committed to delivering in the second half of this year. It began, as you would expect, by a renewed commitment from all of us to continue to engage in what is the right budgetary policy that will be needed for the rest of this year. We will work with Paolo [Gentiloni] and his team on the euro area recommendation, which will take place later this year. And also, what is the right mix of fiscal policies that can support our economies as they recover in 2020. So, we have scheduled a number of important discussions which we will integrate with the work of the Commission in relation to how we will plan for a fiscal policy that will get the balance right between continuing to support our employers and our citizens towards a sustainable recovery, but also doing so in a sustainable and in a targeted way.

The second area that we agreed to continue to work on is our progress on Banking Union. We will do so after an important development last November. Our colleague Klaus [Regling] and all of his team are hard at work now in implementing that agreement. But that was a further important step in the Banking Union at an important time. I’m now engaging with all my fellow ministers to agree on how we can structure our engagement and agree on projects in time to come, and we will in turn use that for the foundation of how we will agree on those topics in the second half of the year.

And then finally, the Eurogroup agreed to continue to focus on the role of the euro, on its future, on the potential options that are there regarding it becoming even more a green currency, considering digital developments that are happening across the world and also considering how we can engage with other international partners as we look at how we can strengthen a recovery.

And then finally we concluded with an update on the status of our financial sector. Our two regulators gave ministers an update on the preparedness of our financial sector, and their work in monitoring risks and getting ready for the future.

So in conclusion, the sentiment amongst ministers was that, apart from being very glad to see each other, there is a feeling that we are now seeing a recovery take place that is very different to the prospects that we faced last year, but they are equally determined to continue to work together to deliver a recovery that can take hold, that can be sustainable, and one that will recognise the harm of the pandemic and seek to support employers and citizens in overcoming this. Thank you.

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