Spain warns it will only welcome UK tourists back if Britain reciprocates
Spain has warned that it will only welcome British holidaymakers back to its resorts if the UK offers the same deal to its tourists.
Spain is preparing to open its borders to British holidaymakers in June provided they have a digital vaccine certificate or a negative Covid test result. But the tourism ministry told The Telegraph that the UK must "accept the same terms for Spanish travellers who go to the UK".
Spain is looking to create its own version of the EU's proposed digital green certificate to show vaccination status or test results, with plans to trial the technology at 46 airports next month.
It is thought unlikely that Spain will be on the UK Government's safe "green list" for quarantine-free travel from May 17, when the ban on foreign travel is due to be lifted, but the moves show that opening up to holidays will require bilateral negotiations and the need for digital Covid status certificates.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, on Wednesday confirmed that the NHS app will be English holidaymakers' vaccine passport, with the first trips using it within a month.
Mr Shapps said the app, which automatically links to an individual's medical records will be used as a certificate for international travel to show they are vaccinated, have a negative Covid test or immunity from having had the virus.
It means all the 30-plus million people who have so far been vaccinated in England and who download the app will automatically have digital proof of their jab from their medical records.
The Government still has to develop ways of securely presenting the vaccine information at borders and incorporating test results or evidence of immunity for those who are not inoculated. That means it is unlikely to be ready by May 17, when holidaymakers will be allowed to fly to "green" or "amber" countries.
However, the international airlines body IATA has been working with the Government to launch a prototype of its digital travel pass, which could be used by holidaymakers to safely present their vaccination and test information for journeys, within a month.
Mr Shapps said: "In terms of vaccine certification, I can confirm we are working on an NHS application – actually it will be the NHS app that is used for people when they book appointments with the NHS and so on, to be able to show you've had a vaccine or you've had testing.
"I'm working internationally with partners across the world to make sure that system can be internationally recognised, as that's the way forward. Actually, I'm chairing a meeting of the G7 secretaries of state for transport, my equivalents from America and Canada and all the G7 countries, next week on exactly this subject."
Greece has said it will accept digital or paper vaccine certificates or negative tests, while Manuel Lobo Antunes, Portugal's ambassador to the UK, said on Wednesday that British holidaymakers could visit the country next month.
He said he was "hopeful" that Portugal would be on the UK's "green list" for quarantine-free travel from the middle of May, meaning "regular mobility between the UK and Portugal and vice versa can be established".
Portugal is expected to require digital confirmation of vaccination or negative tests. Asked whether Britons who have not been vaccinated could travel to Portugal, Mr Antunes said: "Yes, that's the idea, that's what we wanted, to as much as possible go back to the regime that existed before the pandemic."
Mr Shapps is not expected to reveal until the end of next week at the earliest which countries will be on the "green list" from May 17, allowing quarantine-free travel and requiring only one PCR test on people’s return. He said it "looked good" for international travel to resume on that May date.
Until the app is ready, ministers are expected to announce paper-based certification of vaccinations to enable travellers to go abroad after May 17.
The Department of Health said: "The Government is working on providing individuals with the means to demonstrate their Covid status easily, through a digital route as well as a route for people who don't have access to a smart phone. Security and privacy will be at the core of our approach."
The European Commission has also proposed a digital green certificate to provide evidence that a person has had a Covid jab, received a negative test result or recovered from the virus, but it is not yet clear how this will integrate with the UK's plans.
