Viable plan or security theatre? Europe embraces digital health pass

As Europe races to set up a digital health pass scheme to save the holiday season from the pandemic, technical and political obstacles are showing just how big a challenge the world faces in building such systems, people involved in the effort say. Developers are grappling with issues ranging from the practical - such as what to accept as proof of being COVID-19 free - to the philosophical, including debates over discrimination and personal privacy. Southern countries that depend on tourism like Spain, Greece and Portugal are clamouring for a quick rollout of the promised EU "digital green pass", saying their economies will not withstand the loss of another summer season. The EU Commission plans to award a contract this month for a central system for verifying the digital passes, which will use QR codes that can be scanned into a smartphone app. It will also provide a template to help member countries develop their own apps - though some have already readied their own versions. The gateway is supposed to launch in June after testing in May. But the bloc's less tourism-reliant northern states warn launching a viable solution so quickly will be a stretch, especially given the number of stakeholders in the 27-nation bloc. "It's an aggressive timeline and it requires cooperation," said Mats Snall, the head of Sweden's digital vaccine passport initiative.<br/>