BRUSSELS / ROME -- The European Union this month began fully implementing its Digital COVID Certificate program that gives people who have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus and others freedom of movement.
The program aims to revitalize the tourist sector and other parts of the economy that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
With some member states implementing their own border controls over concerns about the delta variant, it is unclear whether these so-called vaccine passports will revive travel.
--High hopes
On July 8, a 51-year-old French tourist was relaxing in a cafe in Venice, one of Italy's top tourist destinations, her first trip abroad in about two years.
She had downloaded a verification app issued by the French government to her smartphone. Her ID number could be used to obtain data from the French health authorities, including her vaccination status, PCR test results, and history of recovering from the coronavirus.
When leaving France and entering Italy, her data was checked by reading a QR code from the app, which exempted her from quarantining and testing.
She said an Adriatic cruise she had booked for the next day also required her to submit proof of vaccination to make the reservation.
These certificates, which went into full-scale operation July 1, can be used in the 27 EU member states, Switzerland and some other places.
Overnight stays by foreign visitors were down about 70% in 2020 compared to 2019, and the EU tourism industry is yearning for better days.
The Lazio region of Italy is offering to pay for some hotel nights for stays over a certain length. The region of Murcia, Spain, has introduced an insurance program to cover medical expenses if travelers become infected during their stay.
--Operational differences
In Venice, a tourist who traveled by private car from Switzerland said: "I wasn't asked to show the app at the border. It was kind of anticlimactic."
In some countries there were reports of the QR code reading system not working properly at airports and other places, causing confusion at passport control.
The standardization of certificates has just begun. How to manage them is being left up to each member country, as they have authority over their own borders.
Of particular concern going forward is discrimination between vaccinated people and those who have not had a shot, even if they test negative.
On Wednesday, Malta banned entry to anyone who is not fully vaccinated. The Irish government only allows vaccinated people and those who have recovered from an infection recently to eat and drink in restaurants and cafes, regardless of the results of a virus test. The food and beverage industry has expressed concern about this causing problems.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has predicted that 90% of new infections will be of the delta variant by the end of August. The variant started spreading in the EU this spring.
Yet vaccination efforts have stagnated. As of July 4, only 43.5% of people age 18 and older were completely vaccinated in 30 countries that include the EU and Switzerland.
--Exemptions
Israel is also issuing vaccine certificates, and countries such as the United States and Australia are considering their own programs.
In the future, the EU's vaccine certificate program may be linked with those in countries outside the bloc. "That won't be easy," an EU official said, citing technical issues such as standardizing systems and the handling of personal information.
The EU currently admits travelers regardless of vaccination status from 24 countries where infections are below a certain level, including Japan and the United States.
People from other areas can also enter if they have been vaccinated with one of the four Western vaccines approved by EU regulators.
However, people who have had the Russian, Chinese or other vaccines that are not approved in the EU must follow quarantine and other rules. The World Health Organization, which has approved the Chinese and Russian vaccines, has called on the EU to rectify the matter, saying it could lead to discrimination.
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