Jaishankar takes up Covishield-EU travel issues with top official

New Delhi, June 30: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday took up the issue of inclusion of Covishield in the European Union (EU) COVID-19 Vaccination Passport with a top EU official and promised to follow up the matter.

Only four vaccines -- Comirnaty of Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Vaxzervria by AstraZeneca-Oxford and, Johnson & Johnson's Janssen -- have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Only those inoculated with these vaccines will be given vaccination passports and allowed to travel within the EU during the pandemic.

People vaccinated with Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), are unlikely to be eligible to travel to the European Union member states under the "Green Pass" scheme as the vaccine is yet to be cleared by the EMA.

Jaishankar, who met Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Italy, said he held a comprehensive review of India's relationship with the EU.

"Discussed vaccine production and access. Took up 'Covishield' authorisation for travel to Europe. Will be following up," Jaishankar tweeted.

The Pune-based SII makes Covishield in India with a licence from AstraZeneca.

The SSI has urged the Indian government to take up inclusion of Covishield in the EU COVID-19 Vaccination Passport with the EU and other countries, saying if not done it will affect students and business travellers, and disrupt the Indian and global economy.