On Thursday, the EU Commission confirmed that the Swiss certificate – which shows if the holder has been vaccinated, tested, or recovered from Covid-19 – will be recognised as equivalent to the Europe-wide certificate, which has been in effect since July 1.
Switzerland is the first country outside the EU and the EEA to become part of the European travel area, the Commission said.
Theoretically, Swiss travellers will now be able to move around Europe without having to undergo further testing or quarantine regimes in the place they visit. EU travellers to Switzerland will also find life easier.
“This will let EU and Swiss citizens travel more freely, and in full security this summer,” wrote EU Commissioner Didier Reynders on Thursday.
More
More
Data ‘light’ Covid-19 certificate to launch in Switzerland
This content was published on
A new type of Covid-19 certificate will be available in Switzerland from next month that hides personal health data from prying eyes.
In practice, however, different rules and conditions still exist in different countries.
For example, there is no standardised definition of how long a PCR test remains valid and there is no agreement on how soon after a second vaccination dose a person becomes “safe”, or how long a vaccine’s protection lasts. Some EU states also haven’t yet set up the necessary infrastructure to introduce the certificate and are still in a “transition phase”.
EU countries also retain the right to restrict travellers from regions they deem to be “risk zones” owing to higher rates of coronavirus infections, or a higher prevalence of more contagious strains, like the Delta variant.
And beyond travel, once you get into the other countries, there are different attitudes to whether or not the Covid certificate is needed to get into restaurants, concerts, or large gatherings.
In Switzerland, for example, while the certificate will be required for events of over 10,000 people, for smaller concerts it’s left to the discretion of the organiser.
In Switzerland, over 3.5 million vaccinated people have already received a Covid certificate. Some 88,000 got one after having recovered from the disease.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Swiss town rejects surveillance cameras at train station
This content was published on
Vevey does not want the station area to be monitored by cameras. In a vote held on Sunday, the population rejected a plan to install 44 cameras in the area in order to combat street dealing.
Palestine demo broken up at Israel-Switzerland basketball match
This content was published on
Around 150 pro-Palestine activists tried to force their way into Switzerland's match against Israel at the U-19 World Cup in Lausanne.
Swiss foreign minister: ‘EU was only given what was necessary’
This content was published on
After negotiating hard on the package deal with the European Union and finding a balance, Switzerland gave the EU only what was needed, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said on Saturday.
Passenger dies in helicopter crash on Swiss glacier
This content was published on
A helicopter crashed in the Fusshörner region on the Oberaletsch Glacier in canton Valais on Saturday afternoon. The passenger in the helicopter, which was carrying three people, died.
Abbot of Saint-Maurice steps down following sex abuse report
This content was published on
Jean Scarcella has decided to step down as Abbot of Saint-Maurice in the Swiss canton of Valais, the abbey announced on Saturday.
Philipp Matthias Bregy named new president of Centre Party
This content was published on
Valais National Councillor Philipp Matthias Bregy is the new President of the Centre Party. The delegates elected him as the successor to Gerhard Pfister on Saturday in Bern without discussion.
Global call for active neutrality launched from Geneva
This content was published on
A number of players have launched a worldwide appeal for active neutrality in Geneva at a time when the major powers are taking a tougher line. The city is competing with Vienna to attract an international congress on this issue in 2026.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.