The Commission of the European Union has unfolded guidelines to the Member States in a bid to ensure a coordinated approach to a gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions as soon as the epidemiological situation in the block permits.

The guidelines have been presented a week ahead of the meeting set to be held on March 25, Thursday, between the heads of the EU governments.

In a communication revealing the recommendations of the Commission for a common approach to safe reopening, the Commission lays out some key steps that must be taken and tools that must be used in order to succeed in this regard:

• All Member States should issue Digital Green Certificates for vaccinated persons, those who have recovered from COVID-19, and those who test negative.
• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will establish a European framework for COVID-19 response measures in order to help the Member States on the implementation of restrictions.
• Additional testing and tracing strategies – technical guidance on self-tests for COVID-19 (both self-swabbing and self-testing kits), wastewater monitoring to track COVID-19 and its variants, as well as data exchange between Member States’ contact tracing authorities, including data collected by Digital Passenger Locator Forms.
• A common EU strategy on therapeutics will be issued in mid-April in order to accelerate research and manufacturing to ensure quick access to valuable treatments.
• Assisting the tourism sector to prepare for safe reopening. The Commission already asked the Standardisation Organisation, CEN, to develop a voluntary sanitary seal in cooperation with industry and the Member States.
• Vaccine sharing mechanism between the Member States. The Commission insists that there is no country or region in the world safe from COVID-19 unless it is contained globally. Thus it has initiated the establishment of an EU Vaccine Sharing Mechanism to help partner countries overcome the pandemic, on top of the €2.2 billion EU investment from Team Europe in COVAX.

Commenting on the proposal, the Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said while lifting restrictions, the Member States must learn the lessons of 2020 and avoid damaging and costly cycles of opening and closing.

“Today’s Communication includes a balanced package of existing and new measures. We are looking forward to the endorsement of Member States at the upcoming European Council. Every day we get closer to achieving our vaccination goals and the recovery of our European way of life,” he asserted.

Stella Kyriakides, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, also asserted that the COVID-19 situation in Europe is still very challenging, which is why a common approach towards the reopening is a must.

“It is only through a joint approach that we can return safely to full free movement in the EU, based on transparent measures and full mutual confidence,” she said.

On March 17, the EU Commission has also brought forward its official proposal on Digital Green Certificates for EU nationals and foreign residents of the block, which are set to be issued to those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19, those who have recovered from the virus, as well as those who test before traveling.