Illustrative photo: The Regulatory Review

The certificates would allow those vaccinated, recovered from COVID-19 or with negative test results to travel more easily in the EU, where restrictions on movement have weighed heavily on the travel and tourist industry for over a year.

While member states would be obliged to recognise EU-approved vaccines, specific countries could also issue certificates covering Russia’s Sputnik or China’s Sinovac vaccines that are only authorised in their territory. Other EU countries would decide whether to accept a certificate referring to a vaccine not approved by EU regulators.