Alto Adige debuts COVID-19 certificate that grants access to “CoronaPass Areas”

The Aldo Adige province in Northern Italy is debuting "CoronaPass", a digital or paper-based vaccine certificate with the aim of "accompanying the reopening of cultural and economic activities."

Adopting the same logic of the EU's forthcoming "Digital Green Certificate", "CoronaPass" will not only record an individual's vaccination status, but also whether  they have received a negative test result over the last 72 hours, or whether the person has recovered from COVID-19 over the last 6 months. Individuals falling within these categories will need a QR code issued from health authorities which is transmitted via SMS, email, or can be downloaded.

Since May 5, a green check on the "CoronaPass" grants access to so-called "CoronaPass areas", thus allowing holders to dine indoors at restaurants, enter venues such as cinemas, museums and theatres, and return to gyms, pools and public events.

According to Il Giorno, this is "the first COVID passport in Europe". And yet, its technical system is still provisional and even open to forgeries, writes Provincia di Bolzano's website: the CoronaPass solution, as it stands, "relies on citizens' loyalty and honesty, even though forgery is a punishable crime".

It will however have to be replaced by a solution that is "compatible" with that currently under development at EU level when it is available, the administration says.

Three days after its announcement, Alto Adige authorities have already collected some "8,000 CoronaPass requests," ANSA reported.

The Italian Data Protection Authority responded immediately and investigated the "CoronaPass" system to ascertain whether its data collection practices are legitimate. The DPA previously warned the Italian government that data obtained through the upcoming Italian "green certificate" can only be treated lawfully if grounded by the appropriate laws, which are currently lacking.