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Vax passports: Deadlines near, answers unclear

 

Monday is the start of the UK's 'Green List' that allows UK residents, at least those from England, to return home without quarantine from vacations taken in the UK's new list of countries that have been given a green light, and while demand for tickets to Portugal and other places on the list has been booming, questions remain on both side of the Channel on proper documentation.

Note the 'at least from England.' Scotland's start date is now set a week later, with Wales and Northern Ireland still to set a definite date. And, the United Kingdom is not the only union that hasn't come down to a common answer; the EU is facing last-minute issues over its promised 'Green Pass' that is to be fully operational by June.

The UK, at least, seems to have solved its vaccine documentation issue, as long as no computer glitches intervene: The government has said that vaccine status, which is already recorded in a national database, will show up in show-at-the-border form in the country's existing National Health Service app by Monday.

The EU's issue is more complex than hoping for no computer bugs: Everyone has agreed on an EU-wide pass, but not on what it will entitle the holder to do. The elected EU Parliament has so far insisted that the pass should allow free travel throughout the EU, without further restrictions, while some countries are insisting that they be able to, if they feel it is needed, restrict travel again. Since under EU law border controls are a national responsibility, the Parliament can't impose its preference without agreement of the 27 members, but it can hold up issuance if there is no agreement on free movement.

Predictably, the countries that depend most on tourism and are anxious to make up for lost time and business are, in the main, insisting on no limits. For the moment, though, that mainly concerns travel between EU member countries; for UK travelers right now, only Portugal among the sunny shores is on the UK Green List.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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Many parts of Europe exist on the Tourist Trade. It's necessary for survival that doors open up soon. It's unfortunate that controllers of Heathrow London Airport make departing UK passengers stand alongside  passengers arriving from India. For 3 hours.

Last edited by GarryRF
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