BRUSSELS - Leaders of the European Union on Monday signed the final official regulation on the EU Digital Covid Certificate, also known as the Covid green pass. 

  To sign it at the official ceremony at the European Parliament were Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, and Antonio Costa, The Prime Minister of Portugal, acting as a representative of EU member states.

  The digital pass allows those who have have recovered, been vaccinated or recently tested to travel freely throughout the EU, providing exemptions to Covid related restrictions such as quarantine.

  At the signing ceremony, EU leaders said, “The EU Digital Covid Certificate is a symbol of what Europe stands for. Of a Europe that does not falter when put to the test. A Europe that unites and grows when faced with challenges. Our Union showed again that we work best when we work together. 

 “We can be proud of this great achievement. The Europe that we all know and that we all want back is a Europe without barriers. The EU Certificate will again enable citizens to enjoy this most tangible and cherished of EU rights – the right to free movement. Signed into law today, it will enable us to travel more safely this summer. Today we reaffirm together that an open Europe prevails.”

  The first proposal for a digital pass was presented by the European Commission on March 17 and on June 1, the EU gateway, the “technical backbone” of the system, went live.

  13 member states have already started to issue the certificates and several more, including Italy, have completed the testing phase and are ready to start issuing. The certificates will go live on July 1, with a six week period of phasing-in for those countries still needing time to issue certificates, and the regulation will apply until July 1, 2022.

  In addition to the green pass, the European Commission pledged 100 million euros under the Emergency Support Instrument to help member states provide affordable tests.

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