European Commission promises details on digital health pass this month

‘Green Pass’ expected to ‘facilitate European’s lives’, including travel

The president of the European Commission has said a proposal for a pan-European digital health pass that could help the resumption of travel and tourism across the continent will be presented this month.

Ursula von der Leyen tweeted on Monday to say plans for a legislative Green Digital Pass would be revealed in March.

She said the pass aims to provide proof a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, test results for those who could not get a vaccine and information on Covid-19 recovery.

Von der Leyen also said the pass will respect data protection, security and privacy.

In a follow-up tweet, she added: “The Digital Green Pass should facilitate Europeans‘ lives.

“The aim is to gradually enable them to move safely in the European Union or abroad – for work or tourism.”

It follows talks among European leaders last week which downplayed suggestions vaccination certificates for travel could be introduced rapidly.

Von der Leyen said last week that development of the technology for vaccine certification would take “at least three months”.

We’ll present this month a legislative proposal for a Digital Green Pass. The aim is to provide:

•Proof that a person has been vaccinated
•Results of tests for those who couldn’t get a vaccine yet
•Info on COVID19 recovery

It will respect data protection, security & privacy

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 1, 2021

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson told Politics Home that ongoing work around ‘vaccine passport’ proposals will include discussions with the EU to establish how such systems would work.

“You can expect DfT (the Department for Transport) will work [with], and do speak to countries across the world in terms of how they may look to introduce passports,” they said.