Trilogue on the EU COVID-19 certificate: arrivals, roundtable and statement by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Rapporteur and by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice. European Parliament, Council and Commission negotiators try to conclude a deal aimed at establishing, on time for the summer tourist season, an EU certificate attesting that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has a negative test result or recovered from the sickness. This should allow a smooth and safe travel within the EU from the end of June.

Brussels

statement

round table

meeting

LÓPEZ AGUILAR, Juan Fernando (S&D, ES)

healthcare safety (T)

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

Coronavirus outbreak (T)

vaccination strategy (T)

EU covid-19 certificate (T)

Trilogue on the EU COVID-19 certificate: arrivals, roundtable and statement by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Rapporteur and by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

Title: Trilogue on the EU COVID-19 certificate: arrivals and roundtable, and statement by Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES)

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, The European Parliament has set its mind, we want the Council to be aware that the cost of PCR tests is prohibitive for the European citizens to really be back to a fully operational Schengen based on free movement is a fundamental right. We want them to care about that. We also want them to care about the importance of having a piece of legislation instead of the alternative, which is so negative, fragmentary disperse, 27 certificates. Thus, as a consequence, imposing on European citizens total legal uncertainty as to the additional restrictions that they might endure or suffer. We don't want that to happen. We want a certificate but by the same token, we want the certificate to do the trick. That means that the certificate would prevent member states from imposing additional restrictions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, We want a European certificate and we have endorsed the procedure it means that we want it by early June. We want it to be adopted next plenary, but it depends on the Council showing political will.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, We definitely need to be ready for June with the regulation and the technical tool. We are advancing really good with the technical tool and the tests are ongoing with the Member States and that is really well progressing.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The Council and Parliament, after technical discussions are trying to reach an agreement on the few remaining problems, particularly concerning the accessibility of tests. It is a debate for the summer to ensure that these tests are accessible to everyone, perhaps even more for the people who have to travel a lot for professional reasons or access to education, for example. Then we have to to see how we're going to lift the restrictions gradually during all this period.