FIVE million Brits face being blocked from European holidays because their Covid vaccines are not recognised by the EU’s passport scheme, according to a report.
Millions of jabs administered in the UK do not qualify for the bloc’s scheme because they were manufactured in India.
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The shots are yet to be authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which regulates vaccinations in the bloc, the Daily Telegraph.
It comes as a bitter blow to Brits’ holiday hopes – leaving millions potentially turned away at EU border crossings when their batch numbers on their vaccine passports are scanned.
The EU’s Digital Covid Certificate launched today and hopes to allow Europeans to travel freely across the continent without the need for quarantine or rigorous testing on arrival.
Anyone in the bloc who has been double jabbed will be able to cross borders simply by presenting digital proof they have been inoculated.
Earlier this week it was reported that discussions between the EU and Westminster officials on allowing Brits onto the Green Pass scheme were “progressing well” and “going in the right direction”.
But the scheme does not recognise a version of the AstraZeneca jab called Covishield produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), which has been administered to some five million Brits.
The vaccines are identifiable by the batch numbers – such as 4120Z001 or 4120Z002 – which appear on recipients’ cards after they have been jabbed.
They also feature on the Covid travel pass on the NHS App which is currently being used as a digital vaccination certificate for foreign travel.
The SII jab has already been authorised by the World Health Organisation.
Furious Brits who had received the SII version of the vaccine told The Telegraph they felt excluded by the omission.
Hannah Smith, 21, told the newspaper: “Quite frankly I feel discriminated against, for lack of a better word.”
Another who asked not to be named said: “That vaccine passports would be a thing is entirely predictable, so our Government should have made sure any they purchased would be recognised for travel everywhere.”
It marks another setback for the AstraZeneca jab in Europe after a string of controversies.
The bloc has been embroiled in a furious row with the Anglo-Swedish firm since the beginning of the year over a shortfall of deliveries.
The EU Commission has since launched legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, alleging that it underdelivered by millions of doses.
EU leaders also sparked fury for making baseless attacks on the efficacy of the jab – with Emmanuel Macron claiming it was “quasi-ineffective” in over-65s.
The news comes just a day before Angela Merkel arrives at Downing Street for talks with Boris Johnson, with travel expected to feature in the discussions.
The German Chancellor has banned all travel from the UK into Germany – and encouraged other European countries to follow suit.
A number of popular continental destinations including Portugal and Malta are now insisting on proof of vaccination to enter.
Others like Greece and Spain also accept a negative Covid test taken no more than 72 hours before departure to avoid self-isolation.
Holiday hotspots are desperate to welcome back Brits this summer after seeing a plunge in revenue during the pandemic.
But all summer travel plans will depend on whether ministers expand the Green List where Brits can travel without having to quarantine on their return to the UK.
Currently just twelve countries have made the list – many of which ask for Brits to self-isolate on arrival.
The Department for Transport is currently working on plans to allow double-jabbed Brits to travel abroad by early August, the Telegraph reports.
But transport secretary Grant Shapps insisted that ministers would need “time” to work through the policy.
Mr Shapps acknowledged that it could be complicated by the rise in cases in the UK, which has raised concern in Europe
