Commission sets validity period of EU COVID Certificate at 9 months, while winter travel chaos proliferates in Europe

On 21 December 2021, the European Commission announced a delegated regulation extending the validity period of the EU Digital COVID Certificate to nine months after the first full vaccination schedule. This binding act will come into force on 1 February 2022, after which outdated certificates – i.e., of people that had their second or first vaccine shot nine months before – will no longer be valid to travel in the EU. The Regulation still does not mention the validity of the booster.

HOTREC, together with other travel and tourism stakeholders, has systematically defended the harmonization of travel restrictions within the EU. Therefore, we support a standard duration of the vaccination certificate, as long as it is based on scientific evidence. In any case, the validity of the booster needs to be urgently harmonized as well, otherwise, the efficacity of the certificate and the possibility of allowing free movement within the Schengen area will be quickly jeopardized.

Moreover, we support the principle of the individual risk-based approach, meaning that someone with a valid EU COVID certificate should be able to travel across Schengen without further restrictions (testing or quarantine requirements).

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Meeting DG HOME + DG GROW: Ukrainian refugees
01/03/2023    
14:00 - 15:00
On 1 March 2023, HOTREC held a meeting with DG Home and DG GROW on the Ukrainian refugees topic.  Participants to the meeting European Commission [...]
Pact for Skills - coordination meeting
02/03/2023    
15:00 - 16:30
Main outcome of the meeting available
09 Mar
09/03/2023    
10:00 - 12:00
Presentation and draft minutes are now available.
European Platform Undeclared Work - Ukraine refugees sub-group
09/03/2023    
10:00
Participants:  Participants of ELA (European Labour Authority), labour inspectors from Member States, European Federation of Employers; HOTREC (Marta Machado) Agenda Subgroup on displaced persons and [...]
10 Mar
10/03/2023    
11:00 - 12:00
ExCom Video Conference Link ExCom draft agenda - 10 March 2023 Draft Minutes of ExCom meeting of 25 January 2023 Antitrust Statement HOTREC Statutes HOTRE [...]
14 Mar
14/03/2023    
10:00 - 12:00
We are delighted to invite you to the Social Affairs Working Group meeting, taking place on 14 March 2023, online. Please register by using this [...]
Sectoral Social Dialogue meeting
20/03/2023    
10:00 - 13:00
We are delighted to invite you to the next Sectoral Social Dialogue (SSD) meeting, which will be hybrid, taking place on 20 March 2023 (from [...]
Working group on restaurants, bars, cafes & late-night entertainments
23/03/2023    
10:00 - 12:00
Agenda of the event List of participants Presentation
Online Series: 90 Minutes to Close The Loop
30/03/2023    
14:00 - 15:30
Online Series: 90 Minutes to Close The Loop Episode 9 – broadcast live on the 30th of March 2023 at 14:00 to 15:30 Roadmap for [...]
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14 Mar
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