Press Releases

The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr Yiannis Karousos, and the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr Kyriacos Kokkinos, presented, today, at a joint press conference, the European Digital COVID Certificate, which will be in force as of tomorrow, 1^st July 2021.

The European Digital COVID Certificate is a digital proof that an individual has either been vaccinated against COVID – 19, or has been infected and has recovered from COVID-19, or has received a laboratory negative test result on COVID – 19. The Certificate has a cross-border value in all EU member states, as well as in Island, Norway and Liechtenstein, aiming at facilitating safe and free movement of citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic within the EU.

The European Digital COVID Certificate can be issued in digital and print form, and is available both in Greek and English language. It includes a QR code with a digital stamp securing its originality, which is verified through a code scan. As the Deputy Minister, Mr Kokkinos, explained, through the European portal developed by the European Commission, the signatures of certificates issued by member states in the whole of Europe can be verified, while all data concerning health remain within the competency of the member state which has issued the certificate, thus safeguarding the protection of citizens’ personal data.

Regarding Cyprus, the Certificate can be issued in the following three (3) cases:

• If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19 (with one or two doses) and this has been registered to the database of the Ministry of Health.
• If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by molecular methodology (RT-PCR) and the result has been declared and registered to the database of the Ministry of Health.
• If you have undergone a COVID-19 laboratory test within the last 7 days by antigen rapid test or molecular methodology (RT-PCR) and received a negative test result and has been registered by the laboratory to the database of the Ministry of Health.

Citizens are encouraged, before travelling, to consult the Re-open EU (reopen.europa.eu) or the national authorities of their country of destination regarding information on the guidelines and travel instructions of each country.

The European Digital COVID Certificate can be issued through the platform www.eudcc.gov.cy. According to the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, for information and support on issuing the Certificate, citizens can contact the COVID-19 Call Center at 1474, while in case they cannot obtain the Certificate electronically, they can visit the Citizen Service Centres (KEP) and the Citizens’ Centres (KE.PO) by appointment for issuance of their Certificate.

The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr Yiannis Karousos, invited the citizens who intend to travel soon to visit the EU Digital COVID Certificate Portal, and he urged those citizens who intend to travel at a later stage to register a few days before their trip. He pointed out that as of July 1^st and for a period of six weeks there will be a transitional period, during which the use of both the European Digital Certificate and the certificates used to date will be allowed. He also stressed that at the same time, the procedure that is already in place for the registration of the necessary information by the passengers in the electronic platform CyprusFlightPass should be followed.

Concluding, Mr Karousos stressed that the use of the European Digital COVID Certificate is not sufficient to return to the pre-coronavirus era and called on those citizens who have not been vaccinated yet to do so, so that we can build a real coronavirus protection shield and return to normality soon.

It should be noted that on the EU Digital COVID Certificate Portal [www.eudcc.gov.cy] there is a Frequently Asked Questions section and a User guide, in Greek and English. The certificate officially takes effect as of tomorrow, July 1^st, 2021.

(EH/EK/MG)