The online platform for issuing the Covid-19 digital certificate and the final details will be finalized within the next few hours, as announced by the Minister of Digital Governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
Citizens can visit the website eudcc.gov.gr and print out the certificate, if they fall into one of the following three categories:
– If they are fully vaccinated
– If they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past six months
– If they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the last 72 hours.
As the minister said in an interview with SKAI, «Starting today, June 1, the system’s pilot operation begins in Greece and in several other countries, which are expected to be announced, while the entire EU will join on July 1.”. »In these countries—which, along with Greece, are implementing the digital certificate—Greeks who obtain it will be able to travel freely.".
How will the European COVID Digital Certificate work?;
The European COVID Digital Certificate will be valid in all EU member states, as well as in Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. It will help ensure that current restrictions are lifted in a coordinated manner, as it will allow the authorities in each country to verify that a traveler has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, has recently tested negative, or has recovered from COVID-19.
What will it certify?;
The European COVID Digital Certificate serves as digital proof that a person:
• has been vaccinated against COVID-19 with any vaccine authorized for use by the EU, or
• has been tested and received a negative result, or
• has recovered from COVID-19.
In what circumstances will it be issued?;
The European COVID Digital Certificate can be issued:
• if the person in question has completed the vaccination process, or
• whether the person in question has recently undergone a diagnostic test (PCR or rapid test). If the person has undergone more than one diagnostic test, the certificate is issued with the result of the most recent test, or
• whether the person in question has been ill in recent months.
It should be noted that each country has the discretion to determine the above timeframes. Therefore, Travelers are advised to contact the relevant authorities to find out whether their certificate is valid.
What form will it take, and who will publish it and how?;
The European COVID Digital Certificate is issued free of charge in digital form and can be printed. It features a QR code with a digital signature, and its content is written in both the national language and English, so that it is valid in all EU countries. The national authorities of each country are responsible for issuing the certificate. As for Greece, the European COVID Digital Certificate will initially be issued through gov.gr, and in a few days it will be possible to obtain it through the Citizen Service Centers.
How will its authenticity be verified?;
The European Commission has created a portal through which all certificate signatures can be verified throughout the EU. The personal data of the holder of the European COVID Digital Certificate is not transmitted through the portal, as this is not necessary to verify the digital signature.
When does it take effect?;
In accordance with the decisions of the European Union's institutions, The European COVID Digital Certificate will take effect at the EU level on July 1, 2021. Greece is already ready, and in the meantime, it will be able to implement the certificate in cooperation with those European countries that are also ready.
Does this mean that without it, I can't get around?;
The purpose of the European COVID Digital Certificate is to facilitate free movement within the EU. It will not be a prerequisite for free movement, which is a fundamental right in the EU. The European COVID Digital Certificate can also serve as proof of test results, which is very often required under current public health restrictions.
What personal information will it include?;
To protect personal data, the European COVID Digital Certificate will contain only the necessary basic information, such as full name, date of birth, date of issuance, information regarding the vaccine/test/recovery, and a unique identification code.
