An aerial view shows people sunbathing on a beach of the small island of Chrysi, south of Crete on July 26, 2020. - Chrissi is protected as an "area of intense natural beauty". The island has the largest naturally formed Juniperus macrocarpa forest in Europe. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS / AFP)
Austria has agreed criteria with 12 other European countries for a "Green Pass" which should allow international travel and tourism. It could also be used to open up shops, restaurants and hairdressers in May in Austria. Here's what you need to know.
Advertisement
Green passport for Austria and 12 other EU countries
Austria and twelve other EU countries have agreed on seven criteria for the creation of a "Green Passport" for tourism after meeting two weeks ago at the invitation of Austria's Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger.
The aim is to implement the "Green Pass" quickly and as uniformly as possible at European level, with a deadline of 1st June.
The twelve other countries beside Austria involved in the scheme are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.
Speaking to the Ö1 Morgen Journal this morning, Köstinger said as Austria was a country dependent on tourism, open borders were important.
She said the new digital certificate would allow holders to scan a QR code which would determine if they were vaccinated, had recovered from coronavirus or had tested negative for the disease, and this would be valid in European hotels and airports.
Could we all be going on holiday this summer?(Photo by Anthony Devlin / AFP)
No centralised database
Although this is a European scheme, the data of citizens will be stored by member states and there will be no centralised database, due to data protection concerns.
In the case of coronavirus outbreaks in Austria and other European countries, it will still be possible to introduce lockdown measures despite the Green Pass, Köstinger told ORF.
Advertisement
No compulsory vaccination
Köstinger stressed there would be no possibility of “compulsory vaccination” and said those who had recovered or tested negative for the coronavirus would have equal status to people who had been vaccinated.
She also said from May the green pass could be used by Austrian residents as “entrance tickets” to visit hairdressers, restaurants and events.
'Benefit for industry'
The news was welcomed by Austrian Airlines pilot Anthony Tester.
He said: “Anything that helps open up travel and tourism is a benefit for the industry. As with anything international, finding an acceptable framework to work within is just the starting point but hopefully signals that those who are vaccinated, possess antibodies or have tested negative be able to travel with some degree of normality.”
However, one hotel owner expressed concern that the high costs of PCR tests in other countries might make it too expensive for families to travel internationally. In Austria, PCR tests are free, but in the UK for example it can cost more than €100 to get a private PCR test.
Austria had originally hoped to introduce Green Pass or Green certificate entrance tests in April, but the legislation was blocked by opposition parties in the the state chamber of Parliament (Bundesrat)
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Could we all be going on holiday this summer?(Photo by Anthony Devlin / AFP)
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.