The Commission has adopted three equivalence decisions for North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine. This means that the countries will be connected to the EU’s system and that COVID certificates issued by North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine will be accepted in the EU, as of today (20 August), under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate. At the same time, North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine have agreed to accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel from the EU to their countries. Their participation in the EU’s Digital COVID Certificate will thus facilitate safe travel to and from the EU.
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said: “I am pleased to see that the list of countries implementing a system based on the EU Digital COVID Certificate is growing steadily and we are setting standards internationally. This will help to facilitate safe travel, also beyond the borders of our Union.”
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi stressed: “As we fight the pandemic together, our partners are also an integral part of opening up safely together. I welcome Ukraine, North Macedonia and Turkey in our Digital COVID Certificate system and look forward to more of our neighbours connecting soon.”
The three decisions adopted will enter into force as of 20 August 2021 and are available online. The Commission continues co-operating with other third countries to connect them to the EU system. More information on the EU Digital COVID Certificate can be found on the dedicated website and Q&A.