Council of the EU adopts a revised recommendation on measures affecting free movement

25.01.2022

The Council adopted on January 25, 2022 a recommendation on a coordinated approach to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new approach shall be based on the individual situation of a particular person, and no longer on the region of origin.

This recommendation responds to the significant increase in vaccine uptake and the rapid roll-out of the EU digital COVID certificate, and replaces the previously existing recommendation. It will enter into force on February 1, 2022, on the same day as a delegated act amending the digital COVID-19 certificate regulation and providing for an acceptance period of 270 days for vaccination certificates.

Under the new recommendation, COVID-19 measures should be applied taking into account the status of the person instead of the situation at the regional level, with the exception of areas where the virus is circulating at very high levels. This means that a traveller’s COVID-19 vaccination, test, or recovery status, as evidenced by a valid EU digital COVID certificate, should be the key determinant.

This person-based approach is intended to substantially simplify the applicable rules and to provide additional clarity and predictability to travellers.

Travellers in possession of a valid EU digital COVID certificate should not be subject to additional restrictions to free movement.

A valid EU digital COVID certificate includes:

• A vaccination certificate for a vaccine approved at European level if at least 14 days and no more than 270 days have passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if the person has received a booster dose. Member states could also accept vaccination certificates for vaccines approved by national authorities or the WHO.

• A negative PCR test result obtained no more than 72 hours before travel or a negative rapid antigen test obtained no more than 24 hours before travel.

• A certificate of recovery indicating that no more than 180 days have passed since the date of the first positive test result.

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