The proposed certificate is designed to provide proof that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, has recovered from it, or has received a negative test result.
The Commission will unveil the proposal to MEPs in Brussels on Wednesday, but the plan could run into opposition from those who are concerned it poses a data protection risk.
Commenting ahead of the debate, German member Manfred Weber, leader of the EPP group, said, “Now that vaccination in Europe is increasing, we must have a perspective to returning to the fundamental right of free movement and travel in Europe.”
“A vaccination certificate is a good way to do this. Unfortunately, however, we have already lost months debating this. The European Parliament should adopt these proposals as a matter of urgency,” he said.
However, a spokesman for the S&D group said on Monday that it “has a range of questions and concerns relating to the proposed certificates, including data protection rights and the impact on the Schengen area.”
The ongoing health crisis continues to dominate parliamentary proceedings this week and MEPs will also discuss how to deal with the economic fallout with the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde.
The debate, on Thursday, takes place with members of the European Parliament’s economic and monetary affairs committee.
Lagarde is expected to explain how she intends to steer monetary policy over the next few months against the backdrop of an uncertain economic outlook.
Elsewhere, MEPs from the civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee (LIBE) will, on Tuesday, address the topic of violations of the rule of law in Poland.
We must have a perspective to returning to the fundamental right of free movement and travel in Europe. A vaccination certificate is a good way to do this. Unfortunately, however, we have already lost months debating this. The European Parliament should adopt these proposals as a matter of urgency
Manfred Weber, EPP Group chairman
It is the latest parliamentary debate on the issue and, this time, they will focus on the situation of judges and prosecutors in light of reports of repression of both groups for defending the rule of law.
This article first appeared on The Parliament Magazine
