Eight European states — Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Greece, Iceland, Spain, and Switzerland have included Covishield on their list of approved vaccines will be exempted from travel curbs to these countries.
On Wednesday, India had said it would recognize EU’s digital Covid certificate on a reciprocal basis and would not accept it until the EU does the same for Indian vaccines Covishield and Covaxin.
The sources said India has requested the EU member nations to accept the vaccination certificate issued through the Cowin portal.
“We have requested the EU Member States to individually consider extending the similar exemption to those persons who have taken Covid-19 vaccines in India, that is, Covishield and Covaxin, and accept the vaccination certificate issued through the CoWIN portal,” a senior MEA confirmed to the Hindu.
The development has come after India had told EU nations that it would allow EU travelers in India without mandatory quarantine only on the basis of reciprocity. India had cautioned against the European Union’s reluctance in accepting Indian-made vaccines for its ‘vaccination passport’.
Meanwhile, The European Union’s Digital Covid certificate framework to facilitate free movement during the Covid-19 pandemic is to come into effect on Thursday.
Under this framework, persons who have taken vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be exempted from travel restrictions within the EU.
The individual member states have the flexibility to also accept vaccines that have been authorized at the national level or by the World Health Organisation.
