Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
24.11.2021
Pursuant to Article 5(1) of the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation[1], each Member State shall issue an EU Digital COVID Certificate to persons to whom a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered.
This is independent whether the vaccine has been authorised at EU or national level. Thus, where a Member State administers a COVID-19 vaccine that has not been approved at EU level, such as Sputnik V, it is nevertheless obliged to issue an EU Digital COVID Certificate.
According to the information available to the Commission[2], France does not accept EU Digital COVID Certificates issued for vaccines not approved by the EU.
However, this should be separated from the acceptance of COVID-19 certificates issued by San Marino and covered by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1273[3].
The acceptance of such certificates is subject to the same rules as the acceptance of EU Digital COVID Certificates: where they are issued following the administration of an EU-approved vaccine, their acceptance by Member States is mandatory.
San Marino is issuing vaccination certificates for COVID-19 vaccines Comirnaty, Spikevax, Vaxzevria, Janssen and Sputnik V[4]. Whether or not their acceptance by Member States is mandatory or optional will depend on the vaccine administered.