The Belgian coronavirus travel certificate, which will allow it to implement the European Union's system to facilitate free movement within the EU during the pandemic, will be available from June 17 at the earliest.
On the app Covidsafe.be, a QR code will be able to prove if someone has been vaccinated, if they have a negative PCR test that is not older than 72 hours, or if they are temporarily immune because were infected in the last six months.
On Tuesday, the European Commission announced the gateway system to allow member states to start using the certificates went live, and that Belgium is among a list of European Union countries “technically ready” to connect to the technical gateway system to implement the EU's “Digital Green Certificate”.
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"We are technically there," Barbara Van den Haute, administrator general of Digital Flanders, which is responsible for the digitalisation of public services in Flanders, told l'Echo.
However, a helpdesk still needs to be developed, whilst a legal basis is needed to back the data processing. Closer to the time of the app's arrival, an information campaign will be launched.
Seven countries, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Croatia, and Poland, have already connected to the gateway to verify the certificates and have started issuing the first certificates.
Once the national system has been finalised, Belgium's certificate will be accepted for proof of safe travel within the EU from 1 July, for a period of 12 months, when the European Parliament and Council negotiators agreed it would no longer be implemented.
On Friday, Belgium’s Consultative Committee will meet to bring clarity about the EU ‘Digital Covid Certificate.
