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The COVID-19 Green Certification

From the 1st of July 2021, the COVID-19 Green Certification will be valid as an EU digital COVID certificate and will make it easier to travel to and from all EU and Schengen countries.

European Regulation 2021/953 on the Green COVID-19 - EU digital COVID certificate, approved on 14th of June 2021 by the European Parliament and the European Council, stipulates that EU states may not impose additional travel restrictions on certificate holders - such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing - unless "necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health".

The European Commission has set up a common technical platform to ensure that certificates issued by one state can be verified in the 27 EU countries, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein.
The availability of the Certification is communicated by e-mail or SMS (to the contacts indicated in the health service: vaccination, test or recovery) with a code to download it.

The certification contains a QR code which allows its authenticity and validity to be checked.

The timelines for generating the Certification and its duration are as follows:

  • in case of vaccination: for the first dose of vaccines requiring two doses, the Certification will be generated from the 15th day after administration and will be valid until the next dose.
  • in cases of second or single dose for previous infection: Certification will be generated within a couple of days and will be valid for 270 days (approximately nine months) from the date of administration;
  • In cases of single dose vaccine: Certification will be generated from the 15th day after administration and will be valid for 270 days (approximately nine months).
  • in cases of a negative swab the Certification will be generated within a few hours and will be valid for 48 hours from the time of collection.
  • in cases of recovery from COVID-19 the Certification will be generated within the next day and will be valid for 180 days (6 months).

The COVID-19 Green Certificate was created to facilitate the safe movement of citizens within the European Union during the COVID-19 pandemic and certifies that the person:

  • was administrated the first dose or the 15-day single dose vaccine;
  • completed the vaccination cycle
  • tested negative to a molecular or rapid swab within the previous 48 hours;
  • recovered from COVID-19 within the previous six months.

The COVID-19 Green Certification can be used in our country, for example, for:

  • attending public events;
  • accessing residential care homes or other facilities;
  • moving in and out of territories classified as "red zone" or "orange zone".

Regions and Autonomous Provinces may provide for other uses of the COVID-19 Green Certification.
 

Authors

Portrait ofEmilio Battaglia
Emilio Battaglia
Partner
Rome