Russian Health Ministry, EU to Agree on Parameters for Vaccination Certificate Recognition

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and the European Union will hold a series of expert consultations to agree on key legal and technical parameters for mutual recognition of coronavirus vaccination certificates, the Russian Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

Russia and the EU recently held an online working meeting on the matter, the ministry said.

"At the meeting, the sides outlined the next joint steps. A series of expert consultations will be held to agree on key legal and technical parameters for mutual recognition of vaccination certificates," the ministry added.

In September, Moscow submitted to the EU all documents requested at the previous meeting, the ministry recalled.

"The effort is aimed at removing obstacles to Russian citizens' movement on the EU territory and vice versa. Relevant bilateral consultations will continue," the Russian Health Ministry concluded.

From 1 July, the EU has officially launched an electronic coronavirus certificate, which confirms that its owner is fully vaccinated against coronavirus or has a negative PCR test, or has had COVID and is immune.

On 17 August, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed the hope that the European Commission would speed up the discussion with Moscow on the mutual recognition of coronavirus vaccination certificates.

At the same time, not a single Russian vaccine against COVID-19 has yet been recognized by the European drug regulator. Some EU countries have separately used Sputnik V. Since 4 March, this Russian vaccine has been undergoing a gradual examination procedure at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which recommends drugs for use in the European Union.