India urges European Union to exempt those vaccinated with Covishield, Covaxin
2 min read . Updated: 30 Jun 2021, 09:15 PM IST
Premium- Covid-19 vaccines -- Covishied and Covaxin -- should be notified in the European Union's digital Covid certificate, India has informed the EU
The Indian Government on Wednesday urged the European Union (EU) member states to include both Covid-19 vaccines -- Covishied and Covaxin -- in their exemption list for its vaccine passport.
The EU's Digital Covid certificate framework to facilitate free movement during the coronavirus pandemic is to come into effect on 1 July.
Under this, people who have taken vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency or EMA will be exempted from travel restrictions within the EU.
The country has requested the European Union to accept the vaccination certificate issued through the CoWIN portal.
The EMA had earlier clarified the exclusion of Serum Institute of India's Covishield from the list of approved vaccines for the 'Green Pass', stating that the jab doesn't currently have a marketing authorisation in the EU.
The European Union law requires the manufacturing sites and production process to be assessed. This is mandatory for clearance.
"We have requested EU member states to individually consider extending similar exemption to those persons who have taken Covid-19 vaccines in India, that is Covishield and Covaxin, and accept the vaccination certificate issued through the CoWIN portal," reports news agency PTI, citing a source.
The report said that the genuineness of such vaccination certification can be authenticated on the CoWIN portal.
"We have also conveyed to EU member states that India will institute a reciprocal policy for recognition of the EU Digital Covid Certificate," it added.
India has also informed that the EU certificates will not be accepted here either if it does not accept Indian vaccine certificates.
"Upon notification of Covishield and Covaxin for inclusion in the EU Digital Covid Certificate and recognition of Indian CoWIN vaccination certificates, Indian health authorities would reciprocally exempt the EU member state concerned for exemption from the mandatory quarantine of all those persons carrying EU digital COVID certificate," the report added.
The individual EU member states have the flexibility to also accept Covid-19 vaccines that have been authorised at the national level or by the World Health Organisation.
There have been reports in India that persons who took Covishield and Covaxin vaccines are unlikely to be eligible to travel to the EU member states under its 'Green Pass' scheme.
Union Minister S Jaishankar also took up the issue of the inclusion of Covishield in the EU digital Covid certificate scheme during a meeting with Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Italy.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Discussed vaccine production and access. Took up ‘Covishield’ authorisation for travel to Europe. Will be following up."
