Covid-19 Digital Certificate: Everything you need to know
The Covid-19 Digital Certificate proves a negative Covid test, vaccination, or recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection. It’s expected to come into force in the EU on July 1.
On June 14, the regulation creating the Covid-19 digital certificate was signed in a ceremony at the European Parliament. This certificate will allow travel with greater freedom, respecting the safety standards to fight this pandemic, strengthening the Portuguese economy and contributing to the recovery of the country.
But after all, what is the covid-19 Digital Certificate?
It’s a document that proves the negative result of a disease test, vaccination or recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection. It should come into force in the European Union in time for the summer.
What are the main features of the document?
Designed to facilitate the return to free movement within the EU,, which should be free of charge, will work in a similar way to a travel boarding pass, in digital and/or paper format, with a QR code to be easily read by electronic devices, and made available free of charge, and in the citizen’s national language and in English.
How can citizens obtain the certificate?
National authorities are responsible for issuing the certificate. The certificate can, for example, be issued by testing centers or health authorities or directly through an e-health portal.
The digital version can be stored on a mobile device. Citizens can also request a paper version. Both versions will have a QR code containing essential information as well as a digital signature to ensure the authenticity of the certificate.
Member States have agreed on a common template, which can be used in both the electronic and paper versions, to facilitate recognition.
In addition to being the first country to deliver the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), Portugal has also started issuing the first covid-19 digital certificates, launched by the Ministry of Health’s Shared Services.
How will the certificate contribute to free movement?
The EU Covid-19 Digital Certificate will be accepted in all EU member states. It will ensure that the restrictions currently in place are lifted in a coordinated way.
When traveling, holders of an EU Covid-19 Digital Certificate are in principle exempted from the restrictions on free movement. Thus, Member States should not impose additional travel restrictions on EU Covid-19 Digital Certificate holders unless they are necessary to protect public health.
How will the certificate work?
The EU Covid Digital Certificate includes a QR code with a digital signature to prevent forgery. When the certificate is inspected, the QR code is scanned and the signature verified.
Each issuing body (e.g. testing center or health authority) has its own digital signature key. All keys are registered in a secure database in each country.
What data is included in the certificate? Is it secure?
The EU Covid Digital Certificate contains essential necessary information such as name, date of birth, date of issue, relevant information about the vaccine, test, or retrieval, and a unique identifier. This data remains on the certificate and is not stored or retained when the certificate is verified in another Member State.
Certificates include only a limited set of required information. This set of information cannot be retained by the countries visited. For verification purposes, only the validity and authenticity of the certificate are inspected, proving who issued and signed it. All health data is kept in the Member State that issued the EU Covid Digital Certificate.
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