EU Digital Covid Certificate presented as Spain opens up to Chinese, UK holidaymakers

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez presented the European Union’s (EU) planned Digital COVID Certificate, which is meant to be key to restoring easy and safe travel across the bloc at the International Trade Fair held in Madrid on Friday.

The certificate is scheduled to be officially launched on July 1.

Sanchez said the certificate was “a milestone” that would “facilitate the arrival of tourists, travel and mobility” by “avoiding complex checks (for travelers) on arrival.”

“The EU Digital COVID Certificate will be free of charge, secure and accessible to all. It will cover vaccination, test and recovery offering different options to the citizens. It fully respects citizens’ fundamental rights, including protection of personal data,” the Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

“All EU citizens have a fundamental right to free movement in the EU. The EU Digital COVID Certificate, available in paper or digital format, will make it easier for Europeans to travel – whether to see their families and loved ones or to get some well-deserved rest,” the statement said.

“Member States shall 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,” according to the statement.

Sanchez said on Friday that his country will reopen to travelers from ten countries, including China and the United Kingdom (UK), “without restrictions or sanitary requirements” from May 24.

The other countries are Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda and Japan.

As of June 7, Spain will reopen to all international travelers without restrictions as long as they are able to provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated using a vaccine recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

However, Spain remains on the UK government’s “amber” list, which means that people traveling to the UK from Spain still need to go into quarantine for ten days and provide two negative COVID-19 tests upon landing.