Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D,ES), chair of LIBE Committee makes a statement about the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) voting a proposal to extend the validity of the EU Digital COVID Certificate for another year, before it expires on 30 June.

statement

vote

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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

EU covid-19 certificate (T)

EU's response to covid-19 (T)

Extension of the EU Digital COVID Certificate: vote and statement by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D,ES), Chair of LIBE Committee

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, As the pandemic is not over yet, it makes sense that we extend the validity and integrity and authenticity of the instrument itself, which is the digital certificate, which is, by the way, regulated by EU regulations, which are regulation, which is binding for the Member States, precisely meant to restrict the capacity of the Member States to impose unilateral restrictions on free movement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&Oacute;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, The extension is one year, but the Commission is bound to report in six months from the adoption of the regulation, which is to be taking place in June plenary in Strasbourg. So in December, the Commission will be reporting as to the situation by then, as to the logical development by then, as to the scientific knowledge by then, as to the authorisations by the medical agency, the medicament agency of the European Union, as to the assessment of the situation in global terms by the World Health Organisation. And in so far as the pandemic might be over, the Commission could anticipate the ending of the timeframe of the regulation, but it is yet to be seen. By now the extension is meant to last another year.

Juan Fernando L&Oacute;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur and Chair of the LIBE committee awaiting quorum and then opening the vote, 7 shots