EU Digital COVID Certificate
- What is the EU Digital COVID Certificate?
- How can citizens get the certificate?
- How does it help free movement?
- How does the certificate work?
- Are citizens who are not yet vaccinated able to travel to another EU country?
- Does it matter which vaccine citizens received?
- Recognition of COVID certificates from third (non-EU) countries
- Validity of the certificates
- Potential use of certificates for access to facilities
- For how long will the EU Digital COVID Certificate be in place?
- Can non-EU citizens travel to the EU?
- Timeline
- Documents
 | The EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation entered into application on 01 July 2021. EU citizens and residents will now be able to have their Digital COVID Certificates issued and verified across the EU.
Learn how to get the certificate from your national health authority by selecting your country on the interactive map below. |
What is the EU Digital COVID Certificate?
An EU Digital COVID Certificate is a digital proof that a person has either
 | been vaccinated against COVID-19 |
| received a negative test result or |
| recovered from COVID-19 |
Key features of the certificate
- Digital and/or paper format
- with QR code
- free of charge
- in national language and English
- safe and secure
- valid in all EU countries
.
How can citizens get the certificate?
National authorities are in charge of issuing the certificate. It could, for example, be issued by test centres or health authorities, or directly via an eHealth portal.
- Vaccination certificates are issued by the Member State where the vaccination has been administered.
- Test certificates are issued by the Member State where the test has taken place.
- Recovery certificates are issued by the Member State where the recovered person is located.
Information on how to get the certificate should be provided by the national health authorities.
The digital version can be stored on a mobile device. Citizens can also request a paper version. Both will have a QR code that contains essential information, as well as a digital signature to make sure the certificate is authentic.
Member States have agreed on a common design that can be used for the electronic and paper versions to facilitate the recognition.
Select your country on the interactive map below to learn how to get the certificate from your national health authority.
In technical testing phase to connect
Technically ready to connect
Effectively connected
| In technical testing phase to connect | Technically ready to connect | Effectively connected | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Done | Done | Yes |
| Belgium | Done | Done | Yes |
| Bulgaria | Done | Done | Yes |
| Croatia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Cyprus | Done | Done | Yes |
| Czechia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Denmark | Done | Done | Yes |
| Estonia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Finland | Done | Done | Yes |
| France | Done | Done | Yes |
| Germany | Done | Done | Yes |
| Greece | Done | Done | Yes |
| Hungary | Done | Done | Yes |
| Ireland | Done | Done | Yes |
| Italy | Done | Done | Yes |
| Latvia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Lithuania | Done | Done | Yes |
| Luxembourg | Done | Done | Yes |
| Malta | Done | Done | Yes |
| Netherlands | Done | Done | Yes |
| Poland | Done | Done | Yes |
| Portugal | Done | Done | Yes |
| Romania | Done | Done | Yes |
| Slovakia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Slovenia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Spain | Done | Done | Yes |
| Sweden | Done | Done | Yes |
| Non-EU countries | |||
| Albania | Done | Done | Yes |
| Andorra | Done | Done | Yes |
| Faroes | Done | Done | Yes |
| Iceland | Done | Done | Yes |
| Israel | Done | Done | Yes |
| Liechtenstein | Done | Done | Yes |
| Monaco | Done | Done | Yes |
| Morocco | Done | Done | Yes |
| North Macedonia | Done | Done | Yes |
| Norway | Done | Done | Yes |
| Panama | Done | Done | Yes |
| San Marino | Done | Done | Yes |
| Switzerland | Done | Done | Yes |
| Turkey | Done | Done | Yes |
| Ukraine | Done | Done | Yes |
| Vatican City | Done | Done | Yes |
How does it help free movement?
The EU Digital COVID Certificate is accepted in all EU Member States. It helps ensuring that restrictions currently in place can be lifted in a coordinated manner.
When travelling, the EU Digital COVID Certificate holder should in principle be exempt from free movement restrictions: Member States should refrain from imposing additional travel restrictions on the holders of an EU Digital COVID Certificate, unless they are necessary and proportionate to safeguard public health.
In such a case – for instance as a reaction to new variants of concern – that Member State would have to notify the Commission and all other Member States and justify this decision.
How does the certificate work?
 | The EU Digital COVID Certificate contains a QR code with a digital signature to protect it against falsification. |
 | When the certificate is checked, the QR code is scanned and the signature verified. |
 | Each issuing body (e.g. a hospital, a test centre, a health authority) has its own digital signature key. All of these are stored in a secure database in each country. |
 | The European Commission has built a gateway through which all certificate signatures can be verified across the EU. The personal data of the certificate holder does not pass through the gateway, as this is not necessary to verify the digital signature. The European Commission also helped Member States to develop national software and apps to issue, store and verify certificates and supported them in the necessary tests to on-board the gateway. |
Are citizens who are not yet vaccinated able to travel to another EU country?
Yes. The EU Digital COVID Certificate should facilitate free movement inside the EU. It is not a pre-condition to free movement, which is a fundamental right in the EU.
Without a certificate, you might however be subject to restrictions like testing or quarantine. Member States can introduce travel restrictions. Please check Re-openEU for the latest updates.
To ensure that there is no discrimination against individuals who are not vaccinated, the EU Digital COVID Certificate also covers test certificates and certificates for persons who have recovered from COVID-19. This way everyone can benefit from the EU Digital COVID Certificate.
 | The recommendation on coordinating free movement restrictions in the EU was amended mid-June with a view to the holiday season, further clarifying exemptions for fully vaccinated and recovered persons, efforts to ensure family unity (exempting children traveling with their parents from quarantine, if parents are exempted) and the updated colour-coding of the ECDC map. |
Does it matter which vaccine citizens received?
Vaccination certificates will be issued to a vaccinated person for any COVID-19 vaccine. The certificate should clearly indicate the name of the vaccine administered.
When it comes to waiving free movement restrictions, Member States only have to accept vaccination certificates for vaccines which received EU marketing authorisation. Member States may also decide to waive restrictions for travellers that received another vaccine, for instance those included on the WHO emergency list, but they are not obliged to. If you have been vaccinated with a vaccine not authorised in the EU, we advise you to check which vaccines are accepted by the respective Member State prior to your travel.
Fully vaccinated persons with the EU Digital COVID Certificate should be exempted from travel-related testing or quarantine 14 days after having received the last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for the entire EU. The same is true for recovered persons with the certificate.
What about tests?
Persons with a negative test in the EU Digital COVID Certificate format should be exempted from possible quarantine requirements, except when they come from areas heavily affected by the virus. The Member States agreed on a standard validity period for tests: 72 hours for PCR tests and, where accepted by a Member State, 48 hours for rapid antigen tests.
What data does the certificate include? Is the data safe?
The EU Digital COVID Certificate contains necessary key information such as name, date of birth, date of issuance, relevant information about vaccine/ test/recovery and a unique identifier. This data remains on the certificate and is not stored or retained when a certificate is verified in another Member State.
The certificates will only include a limited set of information that is necessary. This cannot be retained by visited countries. For verification purposes, only the validity and authenticity of the certificate is checked by verifying who issued and signed it. All health data remains with the Member State that issued an EU Digital COVID Certificate.
Recognition of COVID certificates from third (non-EU) countries
So far, 16 non-EU countries (and territories) joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system. This includes:
• Albania
• Andorra
• Switzerland
• Faroe Islands
• Israel
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Morocco
• Monaco
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Panama
• San Marino
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• The Vatican
The COVID Certificates issued in those 16 countries (and territories) are accepted in the EU under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate. Likewise, the EU Digital COVID Certificate is accepted by those 16 countries.
Validity of the certificates
The Commission has proposed, and Member States have adopted, an update to the Council recommendation on free movement restrictions. It includes specific provisions – although Member States can be less strict as well:
- Fully vaccinated persons holding an EU Digital COVID Certificate should be exempt from travel-related testing or quarantine 14 days after having received the last dose. This should also cover recovered persons having received a single dose of a 2-dose vaccine.
- Recovered persons, holding an EU Digital COVID Certificate should be exempt from travel-related testing or quarantine during the first 180 days after a positive PCR test.
- Persons with an EU Digital COVID test certificate should be exempt from possible quarantine requirements: 72 hours for PCR tests and, where accepted by a Member State, 48 hours for rapid antigen tests.
Potential use of certificates for access to facilities
EU law covers the use of the EU Digital COVID Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU.
Member States can also use the COVID-19 certificates for domestic purposes, such as access to events or venues, but this is not regulated at the EU level.
In case a Member State adopts a system of COVID-19 certificate for domestic purposes, it should ensure that the EU Digital COVID Certificate is also fully accepted. This is to make sure that travellers going to another Member State do not have to obtain an additional national certificate.
For how long will the EU Digital COVID Certificate be in place?
The Regulation on the EU Digital COVID Certificate will apply for 12 months as from 1 July 2021. The Commission will present a report to the European Parliament and the Council three months before the end of application of the Regulation. Together with this report, the Commission could propose to extend the COVID Certificate if necessary, taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation on the pandemic.
Can non-EU citizens travel to the EU?
Under the current EU approach, non-EU travellers who are fully vaccinated with an EMA-authorised vaccine should be able to travel to the EU for any purpose. EU Member States can also decide to allow in those vaccinated with vaccines having completed the WHO Emergency Use Listing process.
Travel is also possible from countries where the health situation has improved sufficiently. The Council regularly reviews - and where relevant updates – a list of such countries, based on an evaluation of the health situation. All travel to the EU from countries included on this list should be possible, regardless of vaccination status. The list is available here.
In addition, family members of EU citizens and residents, as well as those who have an essential reason to come to Europe should continue to be able to do so.
Frequently asked questions on the EU Digital COVID Certificate, vaccinations and travel restrictions
Re-open EU: up-to-date information on travel and health measures
Find up-to-date information on travel and health measures in European countries, including on quarantine and testing requirements for travellers, to help you exercise your right to free movement. The information is updated frequently and available in 24 languages. This should help you plan your travel in Europe, while staying safe and healthy.
Timeline
- 27 January 2021
Guidelines laying out interoperability requirements of digital vaccination certificates were adopted, building on discussion held between the Commission and Member States in the eHealth Network since November 2020.
- 17 March 2021
The Commission proposed a legislative text establishing a common framework for an EU certificate.
- 14 April 2021
The Council adopted its mandate to start negotiations with the European Parliament on the proposal.
- 22 April 2021
Member States' representatives in the eHealth Network agreed on guidelines describing the main technical specifications for the implementation of the system. This was a crucial step for the establishment of the necessary infrastructure at EU level.
- 7 May 2021
The Commission started the pilot test of the EU interoperability infrastructure (EU Gateway) that will facilitate the authentication of the EU Certificates.
- 20 May 2021
The European Parliament and the Council agreed on the EU Digital COVID Certificate.
- 1 June 2021
EU Gateway (interconnection of national systems) goes live.
- 1 - 30 June 2021
Warm-up phase: Member States can launch the certificate on a voluntary basis provided they are ready to issue and verify certificates, and have the necessary legal base in place.
- mid-June 2021
Revised Council Recommendation on travel within the EU.
- 1 July 2021
The EU Digital COVID Certificate enters into application throughout the EU.
- 1 July - 12 August 2021
Phase-in period: if a Member State is not yet ready to issue the new certificate to its citizens, other formats can still be used and should be accepted in other Member States.
Documents
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