Thread by @DaveKeating

Following yesterday's EU Parliament vote for "#VaccinePassports", we now have more information about what the system will look like. Target launch is 1 June.

Here's what the certificate will look like across the EU on a smartphone. But the way to access it will vary. (🧵1/13)

1st, here's why we shouldn't be calling this a vaccine passport: the problem isn't the word 'passport', it's 'vaccine'.

"It's not only about vaccinations, but also about tests about recovery" says an EU official. EU countries must accept any of the 3 to allow EU citizen to enter

This will be a standardised EU PCR code that can be digital on a phone or printed on paper. Countries must accept either.

It will show:

💉 Whether vaccinated and which vaccine
🧪 Whether positive test in past 3 days
🤒 Whether positive diagnosis more than 11 days ago

(3/13)

The point is to re-open travel within EU, not restrict it.

If adopted by EP & Council (national governments), EU countries cannot require an EU citizen test or quarantine if their certificate shows vaccination, negative test or previous diagnosis.

Reduces barriers to travel.

System will be ready from 1 June. But will be up to individual countries when to start.

They can integrate it into their existing trace apps (🇫🇷 plans to) or make new apps (🇩🇪 plans to).

System is for 🇪🇺🇳🇴🇮🇸. 🇨🇭unclear. Eventually could recognise other certificates like 🇬🇧🇺🇸.

In addition to the app for the vaccinated, there will be a verification app for checkers. It may look like this.

Verification app can be downloaded by anyone but *only authorised people will get the keys to make it work*.

Here's where use of this system will vary by country.

The Commission intends this system to be only for travel, so keys will only be given to border guards and airlines.

But an EU country could, by passing national legislation, give the keys to others like bars, restaurants and events venues. Commission is discouraging this. (7/13)

An ordinary citizen will under no circumstance have access to the keys to verification app that can be used to determine if someone's been vaccinated. That's the idea anyway.

However if keys are distributed to every bartender, it's out there. Will be a decision for countries.

Under the system, when someone is vaccinated it will be registered in a national database, which is then shared to an EU database.

But given how fast EU countries are vaccinated now, most people may already have been vaccinated by 1 June. How can they be retroactively added?

The way to retroactively add past vaccinations to the system will be up to individual countries. Some thinking of having users do it themselves online.

Others (🇩🇪) thinking people could visit their local pharmacist and show vax proof, and the pharmacist can add it to the system

And here's the problem: one can legitimately ask why this system is being developed at all if by the time it's in force, most EU countries will have vaccinated more than half of their adult population.

It's entirely possible this system will never actually be used. (11/13)

This is why Commission was initially reticent about developing this. But they were ordered to do this by national capitals.

EU isn't alone of course. Countries around the world are developing these systems. EU system being designed for future ICAO compatibility. (12/13)

Proponents argue even if the "vaccine passport" system is never used, the time & money will have been worth it if it reopens travel within EU.

Whether it's used or not, a system needs to be available, they say.

But it's hard to tell where we'll be a month from now. (13/13)

The main reason 🇪🇺 is doing this despite reservations is fear of chaos if every member state develops their own system.

That's what's happening in 🇺🇸. States going it alone while there's no federal agreement on whether to have national #VaccinePassports. washingtonpost.com/technology/202…