Digital vaccine certificate facilitates movement within EU but not precondition to travel: EU Ambassador

The exclusion of Covishield from the European Union's (EU) 'vaccine passport' programme has left Indian students and the business community worried.

So far, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved only four vaccines under its 'green pass' plan. This means that those Indians who have taken Covishield doses will not be eligible for a vaccine passport in the EU in the near future, unless Covishield is included. A quick caveat, as of today, travel from India to the European Union is banned anyways. However, Vaxzervria, the version of the Astrazeneca vaccine manufactured in the United Kingdom, is on the list of the EMA.

The EU in its statement has said that they haven't received any request from Serum Institute of India (SII) to include Covishield on the green pass list.

A European Union official told CNBC-TV18 that individual member nations can accept vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This means that European nations can on their own accord give clearances to those vaccinated with Covishield.

Serum CEO Adar Poonawalla has told CNBC-TV18 that he was hopeful about the EU clearance coming through soon. To discuss this, Parikshit Luthra spoke to Ugo Astuto, EU Ambassador to India.