The so-called “Green Pass” has been live within the European Union and the participating states of Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway since July 1, 2021. With the so-called EU certificates, travelers can prove their status as vaccinated, convalescent or tested.

However, only the technology is in operation in the background, because the controls are still carried out manually in almost all countries. This means that you are not allowed to scan the QR code yourself, but must continue to show personnel from the executive branch, the health service or, in Austria, the armed forces. In some places the barcodes are not scanned at all because the employees have not yet been given the appropriate devices.

Nevertheless, the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air welcomes the introduction of the “Green Pass”, which is actually not green, but white with a barcode. "Wizz Air will continue to support any initiative that works to simplify rules and travel," explains Andras Rado, company spokesman. "It is important for our passengers to have clear and unambiguous guidelines for their trips so that they can visit friends and relatives again, go on business or leisure trips and return home without worries."

However, the new certificate does not in any way replace travel documents that were previously necessary. In Germany it is displayed in vaccination centers and pharmacies. If the vaccination was a long time ago, there are different regulations in the federal states. In Austria, the certificates can be accessed via the Internet using a mobile phone signature. There is also a postal delivery. The City of Vienna sends the certificate to people who have been vaccinated in Vienna and have been tested at some point before as an SMS link.