Green pass, lockdown, vaccination obligation. There are several tools that European states have resorted to to stem the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the most controversial measures concerned compulsory vaccination for groups of the population or for certain professional categories, such as health professionals.
Lack of EU approach
There is no single answer in the EU on this matter, since this competence belongs to the Member States. With the spread of the Omicron variant in December last year, however, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the time had come for the EU to “think about compulsory vaccination”.
Italy is leading the way
Despite the absence of a European approach, some Member States have introduced measures that have made anti-Covid vaccination mandatory. Italy is leading the way, which with the law decree n. 44 of 1 April 2021 introduced the obligation to complete the vaccination cycle for all health workers, from doctors to nurses. Obligation then extended to other professional categories, operating in the defense sectors or for example.
Vaccination obligation in the EU
According to a Eurofound study (June 2022), the vaccination obligation, as well as in Italy (where it was abolished from 1 November for doctors), applies in: France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Latvia. In all these countries, vaccination is compulsory for some professions, in particular medical and nursing staff. A separate case is Belgium, where social welfare workers have had three months, starting from 1 January 2022, to get vaccinated, under penalty of suspension for six months until they are fired. Finally, Austria, the first European state to establish a generalized obligation for adults, turned around after a few weeks, also canceling the compulsory vaccination for health personnel.