Council Recommendation (EU) 2022/107 on a coordinated approach to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic and replacing Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475

Summary:

Recommendation (EU) 2022/107 - adopted by the Council of the European Union on 25 January 2022 - concerning a coordinated approach to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and aimed at replacing Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475. This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

Recommendation (EU) 2002/1475 was adopted in October 2020 to seek increased coordination among the Member States of the European Union when it came to restricting free movement in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The common approach relied on three key elements:

• Application of common criteria and thresholds when deciding whether to introduce restrictions to free movement;
• Mapping the risk of COVID-19 transmission based on an agreed colour code;
• Measures, if any, which may appropriately be applied to person moving between areas, based on risk level.

The Recommendation was later updated by Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/119 in February 2021 and by Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/961 in June 2021, just as Regulation (EU) 2021/953 establishing the EU Digital COVID Certificate framework was formally adopted.

The European Commission tabled on 25 November 2021 an update to the existing Recommendation. The proposal introduced a more person-based approach to travel measures and a standard acceptance period for vaccination certificates of 9 months since the primary vaccination series. This period takes into account guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and provides for an additional period of 3 months to ensure that national vaccination campaigns can adjust and citizens can have access to boosters. The proposal also included updates to the EU traffic light map, as well as a simplified emergency brake procedure.

Following a number of internal exchanges, an amended version of the proposed Recommendation was adopted by the Council of the European Union on 25 January 2022. The adopted text was published in the Official Journal on 27 January 2022.

Official

Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a coordinated approach to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic and replacing Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:749:FIN

EUROPA.eu: Re-Open EU https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

European Commission: Press Release, 25/11/2021: Coronavirus: Commission proposes to strengthen coordination of safe travel in the EU https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6186

European Commission: Questions & Answers on the new Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic (25 November 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_6281

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 25/01/2022: EU countries agree to simplify travel rules with Covid certificates https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/01/25/covid-19-council-adopts-new-person-based-recommendation-on-free-movement-restrictions/

European Commission: Statement by Commissioners Kyriakides and Reynders on the Council agreement to strengthen coordination of safe travel in the EU https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_22_544

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News

Bloomberg, 25/11/2021: EU Proposes 9-Month Limit on Covid Vaccine Validity for Travel https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/eu-to-propose-9-month-limit-on-covid-vaccine-validity-for-travel

Politico, 25/11/2021: Commission proposes 9-month vaccine validity for travel https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-vaccine-travel-europe-validity-9-months/

Reuters, 25/11/2021: EU proposes booster jabs for 2022 travel, opens to WHO vaccines https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-recommend-covid-passes-last-nine-months-after-full-vaccination-2021-11-25/

The Guardian, 25/11/2021: EU moves to place Covid booster jabs at heart of travel rules https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/eu-moves-to-place-covid-booster-jabs-at-heart-of-travel-rules

Euronews, 25/11/2021: EU's COVID travel pass will expire nine months after last vaccine dose, says Brussels https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/25/eu-s-covid-travel-pass-will-expire-nine-months-after-last-vaccine-dose-says-brussels

The Irish Times, 25/11/2021: Commission proposes standard booster requirement for unrestricted EU travel https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/commission-proposes-standard-booster-requirement-for-unrestricted-eu-travel-1.4738994

Kathimerini, 25/11/2021: EU recommends 9-month limit on Covid-19 vaccine validity for travel https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1172500/eu-recommends-9-month-limit-on-covid-19-vaccine-validity-for-travel/

EUObserver, 26/11/2021: EU set to limit vaccine certificate to nine months https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/153639

Politico, 20/01/2022: EU countries prepare shift to ‘person-based’ travel rules https://www.politico.eu/article/countries-prepare-shift-to-person-based-eu-travel-rules/

Euronews, 25/01/2022: EU countries move to end quarantine rules for travel within the bloc https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/25/eu-countries-move-to-end-quarantine-rules-for-travel-within-the-bloc

The Local (Spain), 26/01/2022: EU countries agree to simplify travel rules with Covid certificates https://www.thelocal.es/20220126/eu-countries-agree-to-simplify-travel-rules-with-covid-certificates/

RTL Today, 26/01/2022: EU eyes shift in Covid travel rules to individuals https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/a/1853052.html

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