Spain and Greece are to follow the example set by the Seychelles and implement a ‘vaccine passport’ system to allow those who have taken the COVID shot to enter the countries for holidays.

Greece has been lobbying the EU to introduce a bloc-wide standardised COVID passport, while Spain has announced that it fully supports the idea.

Speaking at at the meeting of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Spanish Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto described the move as “a sign of multilateral commitment,” adding “It could contribute to restoring mobility at European level.”

Maroto urged that while Spain will work toward “transforming and digitalising” its tourism industry, “a common framework” across the EU must be developed to allow tourists to “avoid indiscriminate measures, such as quarantines or travel restrictions.”

The request is set to be debated by the European Commission in the coming days.

“Reaching immunity is a key milestone to generate confidence to travel,” Maroto added, even though taking the vaccine has not been shown to provide immunity.

Spain’s tourism industry is one of the biggest of any country on the planet, so it comes as little surprise that it intends to adopt any means necessary to encourage tourists back as soon as possible.

COVID lockdown rulebreakers in Germany will be arrested and detained in refugee camps located across the country, it has been revealed.

Vaccine passports have previously been touted by the EU, with officials suggesting back in April that visa applicants would also be required to be vaccinated.

EU countries including Spain, Estonia, Iceland, Denmark, Poland, and Belgium have all indicated that they are open to some form of vaccine passports, as well as sharing the data across borders.

A slew of other countries have now indicated that they will introduce vaccination passports, despite concerns that it will create a two-tear society of those who have and have not been vaccinated.

Poland has become the latest European nation to introduce so called vaccine passports, which will allow those who have taken the COVID shot greater freedoms than those who have not.

Polish deputy Health Minister Anna Goławska announced that the ‘passports’ would be issued to all who get the jab.

Euractiv reports that the document will come in the form of a QR code, which can only be downloaded from citizens’ public health system account. An alternative printed version will be issued to those who do not have smart phones.

Goławska said that the document “will be the so-called passport of the vaccinated person, which will confirm that the person has been vaccinated and can use the rights to which vaccinated people are entitled.”

Poland has decreed that those who have been vaccinated will be able to use public health services without additional testing, and do not have to engage in social distancing, quarantine, or other restrictions that everyone else must abide by.

It is unclear whether the document will be used for cross border travel at this point. However, the fact that it is being labelled a ‘passport’ is a big indication.

In addition, the development comes on the heels of EU leaders demanding that the Commission should ‘standardise’ a vaccine passport across all member countries, and that it should be required for people to travel throughout the area.

Vaccine passports have previously been touted by the EU, with officials suggesting back in April that visa applicants would also be required to be vaccinated.

EU countries including Spain, Estonia, Iceland, and Belgium have all indicated that they are open to some form of vaccine passports, as well as sharing the data across borders.

This week, it was also revealed that Denmark will roll out a ‘Covid passport’, to allow those who have taken the vaccine to engage in society without any restrictions.

However, the EU’s data protection chief Wojciech Wiewiórowski recently labeled the idea of an immunity passport “extreme” and has repeatedly said it is alarming, and ‘disgusting’.

Gloria Guevara, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), has also slammed the passports as “discriminatory”, saying “We should never require the vaccination to get a job or to travel.”

Speaking at a Reuters event, the head of the WTTC also condemned airline Qantas for their previous assertion that unvaccinated people would not be allowed on their aircraft.

 “It will take a significant amount of time to vaccinate the global population, particularly those in less advanced countries, or in different age groups, therefore we should not discriminate against those who wish to travel but have not been vaccinated,” Guevara noted.

Denmark is the latest country to announce that it is rolling out a ‘Covid passport’, to allow those who have taken the vaccine to engage in society without any restrictions.

Reuters notes that the immunity passport is being developed by the Danish government.

“It is expected that there may be requirements from other countries to present vaccine documentation upon entry. A Danish vaccine passport can be used here,” the Danish Health Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Further reports indicate that the immunity document will be issued via the Danish eHealth Portal, with a government issued login, and will be a ‘self-print’ document.

An example of the document was provided to Danish media:

Michael Svane, industry director of The Danish Transport Federation commented that the move is a ‘step on the way to a more open society.’

“A vaccination passport is the way for us to put restrictions behind us and travel by air much more,” Svane stated.

Svane also noted that he hopes that international solutions will be developed to ensure that the vaccine passport is approved globally.

The move toward a vaccine passport was also praised by Esben Marcher, head of secretariat at Dansk Live, one of the country’s largest events organisers.

Marcher noted “I think many festivals will use it, because it can help ensure that there are no outbreaks of infection during the implementation.”

The system would be similar in nature to that being considered by Ticketmaster, who it was revealed are considering making customers prove they’ve had the vaccine or a negative coronavirus test before allowing them to purchase tickets.

Ticketmaster later clarified that a final decision on such measures would be up to event organizers but that they were still mulling over the implementation of the system.

The spectre of so called ‘immunity passports’ is looming globally. Recently, the government in Ontario, Canada admitted that it is exploring ‘immunity passports’ in conjunction with restrictions on travel and access to social venues for the unvaccinated.

Last month, Israel announced that citizens who get the COVID-19 vaccine will be given ‘green passports’ that will enable them to attend venues and eat at restaurants.

The British government has contracted two firms to develop COIVD ‘freedom passports’, that would be used to segregate society between those who have been tested or vaccinated against COVID and those who have not.

We previously reported, back in November, on the government’s active plans to develop a QR code system to use as an ‘immunity passport’.

The report, stemming from sources close to the government, noted that “Those who refuse to get the Covid-19 jab would likely be refused entry to venues, as part of the same proposals.”

Other reports have suggested that an app already used prominently in the UK by people to book doctor and hospital appointments could implement a vaccination status section that will show whether a person has taken the coronavirus jab or not, and that businesses may use it to refuse entry to those who have not.

A litany of other government and travel industry figures in both the US, Britain and beyond have suggested that ‘COVID passports’ are coming in order for ‘life to get back to normal’.

Sam Grant, campaign manager at the civili liberties advocacy group Liberty has warned that “any form of immunity passport risks creating a two-tier system in which some of us have access to freedoms and support while others are shut out.”

“These systems could result in people who don’t have immunity potentially being blocked from essential public services, work or housing – with the most marginalised among us hardest hit,” Grant further warned.

“This has wider implications too because any form of immunity passport could pave the way for a full ID system – an idea which has repeatedly been rejected as incompatible with building a rights-respecting society,” Grant further urged.