Travellers from Albania, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Israel, Monaco, Morocco and Panama can soon travel to EU countries under the same restrictions as EU nationals, as they have now joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate, said a press release issued by SchengenVisaInfo.com on Thursday.
The EU Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations announced on September 15 that the Commission now recognises COVID-19 certificates issued by all these countries as equivalent to those issued by the EU Member States under the EU’s Vaccination Passport Scheme.
“As a result, the seven countries and territories will be connected to the EU’s system, and the COVID certificates they issue will be accepted in the EU under the same conditions as EU Digital COVID Certificates,” the Directorate-General noted in the press release announcing the decision.
The same also noted that EU travellers will be able to travel to these seven countries with their EU Digital Certificate, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported.
Commenting on the decision, the EU Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, asserted that throughout summer 2021, EU citizens have been able to travel safely, thanks to the certificate, adding that the EU countries have issued more than 420 million certificates up until now.
“I, therefore, welcome that more and more countries outside the EU are joining our successful system. A total number of 42 countries – 27 EU Member States and 15 non-EU countries – are now taking part in the EU Digital COVID Certificate system, confirming the EU certificate as an international standard,” the Commissioner said.
The EU has created the COVID-19 travel certificate scheme in a bid to restore the freedom of travel between the Member States. Since the scheme was launched, travellers holding the certificate have been able to travel throughout the block without or at least with minimal restrictions.
The certificate is issued to those who are fully vaccinated, those who have recovered from the virus in the past 180 days, as well as to those who test negative for COVID-19. / Argumentum.al
