No obligation to be vaccinated and a ban on discrimination against people who do not wish to be vaccinated

Question for written answer  E-000724/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Luisa Regimenti (ID)

The Italian Deputy Health Minister said recently that he would not rule out making vaccination compulsory for the general public, if vaccination uptake in the campaign does not reach a satisfactory level.

There has also been a great deal of talk about subjecting people who are not vaccinated to restrictions over their access to public places, flights and hotels, and continued employment, thereby indirectly making vaccination compulsory.

Nor is that all. Disciplinary procedures have even been launched against professionals who had expressed publicly their opposition to compulsory vaccination.

Some other Member States, such as Spain, already have plans for a register of people who decide not to be vaccinated. This register would then be shared with the other EU Member States.

The Council of Europe recently adopted a report entitled ‘COVID-19 vaccines: ethical, legal and practical considerations’, which urges Member States and the EU to ensure citizens are informed that vaccination is not mandatory and that no one may be discriminated against because they choose not to be vaccinated. Bearing this report in mind, can the Commission answer the following questions:

• 1.Does it know of Member States that have introduced such practices?
• 2.When does it intend to be transparent and disclose the contents of its contracts with vaccine manufacturers and open them up to parliamentary and public scrutiny?