Amid the ongoing controversy over the European Union’s (EU) move not to include Covishield and Covaxin in its Covid digital certificate or “Green Pass”, India on Wednesday informed EU member states that it would remove their vaccinated individuals from the mandatory requirement Quarantine would exempt if they recognize Indian vaccinations and vaccination certificates.
Currently, people traveling to India from abroad must commit to quarantine.
The EU’s digital Covid certificate, which was created to facilitate the free movement of vaccinated people during the pandemic, will come into force on Thursday.
Sources said in its communication to EU member states that India would adopt a reciprocal policy to recognize the EU’s digital Covid certificate.
As soon as Covaxin and Covishield are registered for the digital Covid certificate and Indian CoWIN vaccination certificates are recognized, the Indian health authorities would mutually exempt people from the EU member states concerned from the mandatory quarantine while traveling in India.
However, this exception is only granted to people who have the EU Digital Covid Certificate.
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WHAT IS THE EU COVID CERTIFICATE?
The European Union has developed a framework – EU Digital Covid Certificate –facilitate the free movement of vaccinated people within the EU. In this context, people who have received Covid-19 vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are exempted from travel restrictions within the EU.
Individually However, the EU Member States have the flexibility also accept vaccines approved at national level or by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In this context, India has asked EU member states individually to consider extending a similar exemption to people who have taken Covid-19 vaccines (i.e. Covishield and Covaxin) in India and to accept the vaccination card issued through the CoWIN portal . (Covishield has been approved by the WHO, while Covaxin has received regulatory approvals in India and a few other countries.)
India informed the EU member states that the authenticity of the vaccination certificate can be authenticated on the CoWIN portal.
EU DECLARATIONS ON APPLICABLE STANDARDS
Speaking to India Today TV, an EU official said it needed to be made clear that the EU’s digital Covid certificates were “not a requirement” for traveling to the EU.
“The certificate is a practical tool that can make travel easier in cases where restrictions are lifted,” the official said.
In addition, travelers who do not want to travel to the EU should have valid proof of Covid-19 vaccination, but the EU digital Covid certificate is “not the only tool that can be used”.
“Member States are free to accept vaccination documents issued in third countries. These should contain information that at least allows identification of the person, the type of vaccine and the date the vaccine was administered, ”the official said.
When asked that Covishield was not included in the EU digital Covid Certificate framework, the official said, “Currently Covishield is not approved for placing on the EU market. However, it has completed the WHO emergency list process on the basis of the relevant Council Recommendation on the temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU, Member States can allow travelers (for no substantial reason) fully vaccinated with this vaccine to enter the EU . “
ALSO READ | Covid Green Pass only for travel within the EU, not valid for travelers from outside the EU
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