EU now recognizes PH COVID-19 vaccine certificates

MANILA, Philippines — The European Union (EU) now recognizes the Philippines’ COVID-19 vaccination certificates, making it easier to travel between countries.

This in turn also means the Philippines now recognizes the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC).

According to the EU, this is effective July 29, allowing Filipinos to use their vaccine certificate under the same conditions as people holding the EUDCC.

“The European Union regards this as an important milestone in ensuring expedite and safe travel and people’s mobility”, said European Union Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Ana Isabel Sánchez Ruiz in a statement.

“We are grateful to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Health and Bureau of Quarantine for their work through the process, and to the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Tourism for their support,” she added.

The Philippines is the sixth country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to be recognized under the EUDCC system.

Other Asean nations included in the list were Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam. Globally, the EU currently recognizes 75 countries in the EUDCC.

The EU, however, clarified that Filipino travelers who have not been vaccinated with an EU-authorized vaccine would still need to check which vaccines are accepted by the EU Member State they’re going to prior to their travel.

The EU-authorized vaccines are the following: BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and Novavax.

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