Brussels, Jan. 15, 2021 (Lusa) - The European Commission on Friday clarified that there is a "medical question" and a "political question" about a vaccination certificate recognised in the European Union, stressing that if the medical question "is clear", the policy should be discussed.

Brussels thus clarified statements made by the president of the European Commission in an interview with Lusa and other Portuguese media, in which Ursula von der Leyen said that a mutually recognised vaccination certificate was "important" and "welcomed" the initiative of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis calling for vaccinated individuals to be able to travel freely.

Through spokeswoman Dana Spinant, the Community executive stressed two issues concerning a mutually recognised vaccination certificate: a medical issue and a "legal and political" issue.

"From a medical point of view - and in this context [Ursula von der Leyen] used her previous experience as a doctor - the act of vaccination has to be documented, and [the president] pointed out that it was important to have a document proving vaccination, not only against Covid-19 but also against all other types of diseases against which vaccinations exist for," the spokeswoman said.

But in addition to the medical question - which she said was "clear" - Spinant stressed that there was also an issue concerning the type of "access that a vaccination against Covid-19 should give".

"In this context, the president replied that it is a debate which must take place in the European Union, it is an important debate, but it is a debate which is not of a medical nature, but of a political and legal nature, and therefore it is a debate which must take place at European Union level", Dinant said.

Asked whether the political and legal issue would be addressed at the next videoconference between European leaders on 21 January, Dana Spinant said it was up to the "president of the European Council [Charles Michel] to unveil the agenda".

"Of course, if this topic is on the agenda, the Commission will be part of its reflections and contribute to the debate", she said.

Spinant also stressed that she hoped that the debate on the political issue would take place "quickly" because it was an "important" discussion on "citizens' rights and access within the EU".

In an interview with Lusa and other Portuguese media in Brussels, Von der Leyen had said that it was "a medical requirement to have a certificate proving that one has been vaccinated", and said that she "welcomed the Greek Prime Minister's initiative on a mutually recognised vaccination certificate".

"Whatever is decided, whether it gives priority or access to certain goods, is a political and legal decision which should be discussed at European level, but I think it is important and, as I said, necessary to have a medical requirement to prove that you have been vaccinated", Von der Leyen said.

The president of the Community's executive was reacting to a letter sent to her by Mitsotakis earlier this week, in which the head of the Greek government said that even if he did not wish to make the vaccine "compulsory or a travel prerequisite", he asked that "people who have been vaccinated should be able to travel freely".

TEYA/ADB // ADB.

Lusa