European institutions must lay down uniform principles for the period of validity of Covid-19 certificates - Rinkevics

RIGA - Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (New Unity) told LETA on Tuesday after the meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) that there is a need for more active discussions and the laying down of common principles of the Covid-19 certificate.

He noted that the meeting focused on preparations for the forthcoming European Council, which will take place this Thursday and Friday. Rinkevics said that Covid-19 issues would also be discussed at the European Council.

"I called for a common approach to the expiry dates of the Covid-19 vaccination certificate, as there are some EU Member States that have set, for example, a nine-month validity period, but other countries, including Latvia, do not have such an expiry date, so a common approach is needed," emphasized the Foreign Minister.

Rinkevics explained that this issue is also closely related to receiving the booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. The Foreign Minister emphasized that although this is a matter more for experts than politicians, in the end it also affects the functioning of the economy, travel and the free movement of people in the EU.