EU Digital COVID Certificate Equivalence Decision for Montenegro, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay Adopted by the EU Commission

After having assessed the digital certificates issued by Montenegro, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay, the European Commission has decided to adopt equivalence decisions on the 21^st of December 2021, that certify COVID-19 certificates issued by the aforementioned countries as equivalent to the COVID-19 certificate issued by the European Union. The decision will be enforced on the 22^nd of December 2021.

As such, the European Union will accept the COVID-19 certificates issued by Montenegro, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay and will use them under similar conditions as those with an EU digital certificate. In addition, Montenegro, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay also agreed to accept the EU Digital COVID certificate for arriving travelers in their countries.

Didier Reynders, the Commissioner for Justice, said that 2021 has been a successful year in terms of rolling out the EU Digital COVID certificate. Presently, there are approximately 60 countries and territories that are connected to the system. The digital certificate has promoted safe travels within the EU and is expected to do so in the future.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation started being applied on the 1^st of July 2021 and it allowed citizens and people residing in the European Union to have their digital COVID certificates issued and confirmed across the European Union easily. An individual with a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate, in principle, should not be subjected to restrictions such as quarantine or tests, regardless of where they departed from in the EU.  Those without the digital certificate could be asked to undergo tests carried out either before or after their arrival.