In December 2018, the European Council recommended creating a common vaccination card for all EU countries (recommendation 2018/C 466/01).

From January 2020 to December 2021, a project was conducted to explore whether a European Vaccination Card was feasible. This project examined how the card could function operationally and technically, what it would cost, and whether it would be ethical and legal. Example formats were developed, and public feedback was gathered. The main report from this project is available here, with two annexes here and here.

In January 2024, a new project called EUVABECO began. EUVABECO is working on creating practical action plans (operational, legal, and technical) for five tools, including the European Vaccination Card. These implementation plans will be tested through voluntary pilot projects running in five EU countries for one year, starting in October 2024. The results of the project and practical action plans will be publicly shared in 2026. The EUVABECO project will finish and close in June 2026.