EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports

Brussels, Belgium

The European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen proposed Digital Green Certificates for free and safe movement in the EU, while warning stricter curbs against coronavirus vaccine exports..

During a press conference about the EU's response to COVID-19, the EU chief talked about stricter curbs on coronavirus vaccines and digital certificates for easier and safer travel.

These digital certificates will show "whether the person has either been vaccinated, or has a recent negative test, or has recovered from Covid, and thus has antibodies," Ursula von der Leyen explained.

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"With this digital certificate we aim to help member states reinstate the freedom of movement in a safe, responsible and trusted manner," she added.

Talking about exporting the coronavirus vaccines, she stressed that "open roads run in both directions" by saying that although EU has been cooperating globally by supplying coronavirus vaccines, "if needed we’ll reflect on how to adjust our exports based on reciprocity and, in the case of countries with higher vaccination rates than us, proportionality."

Using the example of emergency powers used during the OPEC oil shock in the 1970, she said, "We are in the crisis of the century. And I'm not ruling out any anything for now".

This warning has come as the EU has been on crossroads with the UK over vaccine delivery after the EU accused Britain of operating a de facto export ban, which Boris Johnson denied.

Von Der Leyen claimed the EU was still waiting its AstraZeneca orders to come to the UK from two sites in the UK, even though 10 million doses have been delivered from the EU to the UK.

"This is an invitation to show us that there are also doses from the UK coming to the European Union, so that we have reciprocity," she said.