Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2301 of 21 December 2021 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1073 laying down technical specifications and rules for the implementation of the trust framework for the EU Digital COVID Certificate established by Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance)

• CELEX: Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2301
• Articles: 3

Article 1

Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1073 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX

ANNEX

Section 5.2 of Annex II to Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1073 is replaced by the following:

‘5.2.    Booster doses

Where the person is receiving doses following the primary vaccination series, such booster doses shall be reflected in the corresponding certificates as follows:

—

2/1 indicates the administration of a booster dose following a primary single-dose vaccination course, or the administration of a booster dose following the completion of a primary course consisting of one dose of a 2-dose vaccine administered to a recovered person in line with the vaccination protocol applied by a Member State. After that, doses (X) administered following the first booster dose shall be indicated by (2+X)/(1) > 1 (3/1, for example),

—

3/3 indicates the administration of a booster dose following a primary 2-dose vaccination series. After that, doses (X) administered following the first booster dose shall be indicated by (3+X)/(3+X) = 1 (4/4, for example).

Member States shall implement the encoding rules set out in this Section by 1 February 2022.

Member States shall, automatically or upon request by the persons concerned, re-issue certificates in which the administration of a booster dose following a primary single-dose vaccination course is encoded in such a way that it cannot be distinguished from the completion of the primary vaccination series.

For the purposes of this Annex, references to “booster doses” should be understood as also covering additional doses administered to better protect individuals who mount inadequate immune responses following the completion of the standard primary vaccination series. Within the legal framework established by Regulation (EU) 2021/953, Member States may take measures to address the situation of vulnerable groups who may receive additional doses as a matter of priority. For example, if a Member State decides to administer additional doses only to specific sub-groups of the population, it can choose, in accordance with Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/953, to issue vaccination certificates indicating the administration of such additional doses only upon request and not automatically. Where such measures are taken, Member States shall inform the persons concerned accordingly, as well as that they may continue to make use of the certificate received following the completion of the standard primary vaccination series.’.