Press Release17 March 2021

WTTC Welcomes European Commission’s Proposal For The EU Wide Digital Green Certificate

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Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: "The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its Members say the proposal from the European Commission, which would see all EU member states adopt the Digital Green Certificate, is a major step towards the recovery of Travel & Tourism in the region."

"The introduction of the new certificate to travel could see member states welcoming travellers with proof of vaccination, a negative test or a positive antibody test, in time for the busy summer period. This would provide a significant and much needed boost to economies and save millions of jobs and livelihoods."

"We would like to congratulate the European Commission for its incredible efforts in bringing this to life in such a short period of time. The onus is now on member states and the European Parliament to adopt this new initiative, and we urge them to take the necessary steps to implement it as a matter of urgency."

"The proposed Digital Green Certificate, along with enhanced health and hygiene measures and mandatory mask wearing, will provide the reassurance consumers need to book their trips and ensure the return of safe international travel."

"In 2019, Travel & Tourism contributed 9.5% to the EU's overall GDP and supported more than 22m jobs - which shows just how critical the sector will be to powering its economy."

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GBTA Supports The European Commission’s Proposal To Introduce A Common, Inter-Operable And Mutually-Recognized Digital Green Certificate

18 March 2021 — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) - the world's largest business travel association - supports the European Commission's proposal to introduce a Digital Green Certificate that is inter-operable and consistent across Members States. The certificate will verify that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has recovered from the virus, or has a negative test result, to enable the safe and swift restart of business travel in the EU.

About WTTC

WTTC is the body which represents the Travel & Tourism private sector globally. Members consist of CEOs of the world's Travel & Tourism companies, destinations, and industry organisations engaging with Travel & Tourism.

WTTC has a history of 25 years of research to quantify the economic impact of the sector in 185 countries. Travel & Tourism is a key driver for investment and economic growth globally. The sector contributes US$8.8 trillion or 10.4% of global GDP, and accounts for 319 million jobs or one in ten of all jobs on the planet.

For over 25 years, WTTC has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world's leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses, who bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making and raise awareness of the importance of the sector.