The European Commission has set a mandatory acceptance period of nine months, i.e. 270 days, for EU ID cards proving protection against the coronavirus for travel within the European Union, the Brussels body announced on Tuesday.

According to the announcement, they are trying to ensure the coordination of the measures of the member states regarding travel with a clear and uniform acceptance period for protection cards.

The new rules ensure that any travel restrictions are based on the best available scientific evidence and objective criteria, they added.

Vaccination certificates are accepted by the Member States for nine months from the date of administration of the last dose of the basic vaccination series. In the case of a single-dose vaccine, this means that the certificate remains valid for 270 days from the date of administration of the first and only dose. In the case of a two-dose vaccine, the acceptance period is 270 days from the administration of the second dose or, in accordance with the vaccination strategy of the Member State where the vaccine is administered, the first and only dose administered after recovery from the disease caused by the virus.

Under the new rules adopted on Tuesday, EU member states must accept any vaccination certificate issued less than 9 months after the last dose of the primary vaccination. Member States may not prescribe a shorter or longer acceptance period.

As it stands now, there is no standard acceptance period for certificates issued after the administration of booster doses, as there is currently insufficient data on how long they provide protection.

The ID card does not contain information about the acceptance period. Instead, the mobile apps used to check EU protection cards are being modified. If more than 270 days have passed since the date of vaccination, the mobile application used for verification will indicate that the certificate has expired.

In order to allow enough time for the technical implementation of the adoption period and for vaccination campaigns by member states to administer booster doses, the new rules will apply from February 1, 2022 , they said.

The commission encouraged the member states that, if the rules for the domestic use of ID cards differ from the new rules just established, they should be brought into line with each other in order to create a clear situation for travelers and reduce disruptions.

The Commission's announcement reminded that the European Parliament and the Council representing the governments of the member states adopted on June 14 the decree on the EU protection card, the purpose of which was to facilitate safe and free movement during the coronavirus epidemic.

Source: Magyar Hírlap

The picture is an illustration. Photo: Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP