Risk of violating EU citizens’ right to free movement

Question for written answer  E-001148/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Maria Grapini (S&D)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that it will be launching a travel pass at the end of March and will operate a digital system for test results and vaccination certificates for air travel.

However, a number of Member States are against the idea of vaccination passports, warning that they discriminate against the fundamental freedoms of unvaccinated citizens.

If people do not have access to or are unable to pay for COVID-19 tests or vaccines, they will not be able to prove their health status and their freedoms will be curtailed.

What is the Commission’s position on this proposal to allow travel only on the basis of vaccination certificates? What does the Commission think should be done with regard to the IATA decision to make travel by European citizens conditional on these passes, in view of the fact that we cannot give more rights to people who have been vaccinated than to those who have not been vaccinated because they do not have access to vaccines?

Does the Commission not consider that the conditions set by IATA with regard to the introduction of vaccination certificates could lead to a restriction and violation of European citizens’ right to free movement and fundamental human rights?