IATA recognises digital COVID certificates from EU, UK as confirmed proof of vaccination

International Air Transportation Association (IATA) said on Thursday, August 19, that airline passengers can now upload the European Union Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and the UK National Health Service COVID Pass into the IATA Travel Pass as confirmed proof of vaccination for travel.

EU, UK digital Covid certificates recognised by IATA

Travellers who have an EU DCC or a UK NHS COVID Pass can access accurate COVID-19 travel information, generate electronic passports, and import immunisation certificates all in one site. Airlines and border control officials can now say if a certificate presented by a tourist is authentic and belongs to the individual presenting it, according to IATA.

Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations Safety and Security, noted, "COVID-19 vaccination certificates are becoming a widespread requirement for international travel. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward, providing convenience for travellers, authenticity for governments and efficiency for airlines."

Harmonization of Digital Vaccine Standards

According to IATA, harmonisation of digital vaccine standards allows for a safe and scalable restart of aviation, as well as a reduction in airport lineups and a more pleasant passenger experience. IATA said, "Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation, avoid unnecessary airport queues and ensure a smooth passenger experience. IATA welcomes the work done by the EU Commission in developing, in record time, the EU DCC system and thereby standardizing digital vaccine certificates across Europe."

The organisation, however, continues to urge the World Health Organization (WHO) to reconsider its efforts to adopt a universal digital vaccine standard. IATA said in a press release, "The absence of a global standard makes it much harder for airlines, border authorities and governments to recognize and verify a traveller’s digital vaccination certificate. The industry is working around this by developing solutions that can recognize and verify certificates from individual countries. But this is a slow process that is hampering the restart of international travel."

As more states begin to introduce vaccination programmes, several are scrambling to find technical solutions that will allow them to give vaccine certificates to their residents when they travel. In the absence of a WHO standard, IATA advises them to consider the EU DCC as a tried-and-true option that complies with WHO guidelines and can assist to bring the globe closer together, Careen noted. In the lack of a WHO norm, IATA advises governments to examine the EU DCC as a "proven solution" that complies with WHO guidelines, according to Careen.

Picture Credit: ANI/IATA.org