GBTA Urges Consistency on the Validity Period of European Digital COVID Certificates

Photo source: EC – Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Denis Lovrovic

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and its European partner organizations have called on the European Union and its member states urging a coordinated approach to the validity period of the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC).

The statement commends the European Commission’s newly adopted person-based approach to allow travelers in possession of a valid Digital COVID Certificate to travel freely within the EU without additional restrictions, as well as the recommendation to set a common 270-day (9-month) validity for certificates.

Since February 1, the certificates for those vaccinated against Covid-19 with two doses (without a booster shot) are valid for a period of 9 months in most EU countries.

However, some member states have shortened the validity period of the certificates even more. The GBTA puts a spotlight on the continued confusion amongst travelers due to some member states continuing to implement differing rules.

Photo source: European Commission / Photographer: Denis Lovrovic

“As the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) of 270 days became applicable on February 1, GBTA and its European partner organizations have called on the European Commission and the member states to unite and abide by this common period, to avoid a patchwork of rules that is causing further confusion and hindering the safe return to travel,” said GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang.

According to the GBTA, ensuring the harmonization of measures such as the validity period of the EUDCC across the member states “will be crucial” to the recovery of the European and global travel industry as well as to the economy as a whole.

“The successive lockdowns we experienced in Europe and around the world in 2020 dealt a blow to the global business travel industry, which suffered a 52 percent decline in business travel and 662 billion euros in lost business travel spend,” Neufang said.

GNTA’s CEO stressed that a coordinated and harmonized approach to the EUDCC is needed to support the return to travel and the recovery of the business travel industry.

Photo source: European Commission

The EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation entered into application on 1 July 2021. An EU Digital COVID Certificate is a digital proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from Covid-19.

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s largest business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations across four continents. GBTA’s 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.