EuroParlRadio

EU Covid travel cert gets green light from MEPs – Andrews

An EU-wide Covid certificate to enable easier travel across the EU has been approved by the European Parliament.

The vast majority of MEPs voted for the EU Digital Covid certificate which should apply from July the first and be in place for 12 months.

The cert which will be in digital or paper format, will contain information on a person’s vaccination status along with negative Covid test results and recovery from the virus where applicable. In theory it should help people to travel much more easily across the EU.

However, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews says the cert won’t be immediately available to people in Ireland.  

Out words: PCR test

Dur: 00:41

 

UK can’t be ‘in permanent negotiation’ with EU – Andrews

EU and UK Brexit negotiators are meeting again today in London to try and resolve trading issues connected to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Both sides have accused one another of being inflexible when it comes to finding solutions to applying post-Brexit trading rules in Northern Ireland.   

Ongoing problems with checks on goods going from Britain into the North have led to disruptions in food supplies and online deliveries. And delayed border checks on the likes of sausages and chilled meats are due to start next month.

The EU is warning London it will react swiftly if the UK tries to extend that grace period unilaterally.

Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews says today’s talks come at a crucial time.

Out words: European Union

Dur: 00:20

Kelly optimistic for Irish recovery

Ireland’s economy will bounce back from coronavirus quickly – that’s the view of Sean Kelly as the EU promises money will start flowing “within weeks”. The European Commission is currently analysing the government’s plans to spend nearly €1 billion made up of EU grants and national funds. More than half the projects must prove to bring about a green or digital transformation. Speaking from Strasbourg, Fine Gael MEP, Sean Kelly, said he is confident that the Irish rebuild will be swift.

Out words: The economy quickly

Dur: 0’25”

EU Covid cert ‘not a passport to travel’ – Clune

Travel across the EU may become easier once new EU covid certificates are rolled out across the bloc.

MEPs in the European Parliament are set to give the green light to the new EU Digital Covid Certificate in a vote this evening.

The certificate aims to enable easier and safer travel by proving someone has been vaccinated, had a negative Covid test or recovered from the disease. EU member countries are being urged to implement it from the beginning of July.

More than a million Europeans have already obtained the new Covid travel certificate according to the European Commission. Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune says the Covid cert should reduce the hassle of travelling over the coming months.

Out words: for travelling

Dur: 00:26

Cyber warnings going unheeded

Cybersecurity experts have been warning for years about the vulnerability of the internet, says Sean Kelly. The Fine Gael MEP previously worked on EU data law and has toured state of the art technology centres in Silicon Valley. Earlier today some of the world’s most renowned websites went offline for several hours. The reasons are not yet clear. But for MEP, Sean Kelly, it is a reminder that we should, in his view, be working together to shore up the internet.

Out words: Their own benefit

Dur: 0’21”

Internet vulnerabilities could become disaster bigger than covid – Kelly

The vulnerability of the internet could become a disaster bigger than covid. That’s the stark warning from Sean Kelly. Major brands around the world have been knocked offline in an outage lasting several hours. Problems have been reported accessing newspapers including the Guardian and New York Times, as well as other popular sites including Spotify and eBay. Fine Gael MEP, Sean Kelly, took a leading role in developing Europe’s data protection law. He says we are not taking the risk seriously enough.

Out words: Havoc with it

Dur: 0’21”

Ireland mustn't "simply open the doors", cautions Cuffe

Ireland must learn the Christmas lesson and resist “opening the doors” too quickly to foreign travel – that’s the warning from Dublin MEP, Ciarán Cuffe. The European Parliament held a debate on the digital covid certificates this morning ahead of the final vote later. The EU sees the certificates as key to restarting travel within Europe this summer. But Green MEP, Ciarán Cuffe, says foreign travel comes with risk and Ireland should take it step by step.

Out words: Going to be great

Dur: 0’23”

MEPs set to give green light to Covid passports – Kelly

The European Parliament is set to give the green light to EU-wide Covid certificates to enable free travel around the EU from July.

This morning MEPs debated the EU Digital Covid certificate. It will be free of charge and will be digital or paper.

The Covid cert will hold information on a person’s vaccination status including any test results and covid recovery data where applicable.

During this morning’s debate in the Parliament in Strasbourg, Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly said the cert would facilitate and not hinder free movement within the EU.  

Out words: the pandemic

Dur: 00:42

Covid travel certificates go-ahead expected

The European Parliament is expected to give the final green light to covid travel certificates this week. MEPs held a final debate on the issue earlier. The Digital Covid Certificates are designed to ease travel within the EU providing proof of vaccinations, PCR tests or recovery from coronavirus. Seven countries, including Greece, Croatia and Germany have already started using them. All 27 EU countries including Ireland are expected to be ready for the rollout on 1 July. Speaking from Strasbourg this morning, Green MEP, Ciarán Cuffe, welcomed moves to open up travel, but he believes it is important not to rush reopening.

Out words: Side of caution 
Dur: 0'21"

MEP recommends Rapid Antigen tests – Andrews

Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews is recommending the use of Covid rapid antigen tests now that so many millions of Europeans are getting vaccinated.

The European Commission has committed to mobilising at least one hundred million euro (€100m) to make “affordable and accessible testing” more widely available.

Barry Andrews says it’s important to strike the right balance between health and business when it comes to Covid tests.

Out words: my opinion

Dur: 00:26