- All the workers in Ipar Euskal Herria who as of Monday face the public, in order to be able to access their jobs, have to present the COVID-19 certificate. The French Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, said that it is a further step towards "advancing the vaccination process" of the population.
The French Government has this Monday set an obligation to keep the COVID-19 passport for all staff in contact with the public. This measure affects, inter alia, nearly two million people in the transport, trade, sport, administration, bars and restaurants and culture sectors in the French State. In other words, to continue working and paying their wages, these workers must demonstrate that they have a negative test of PCR or antigens or that they have passed the disease in the last six months.
The French Government has adopted this latter measure in accordance with the law promoted by Emmanuel Macron on 12 July. The first practical result of this law was to make from 9 August an indispensable condition for the COVID-19 passport for the stay in cafes, restaurants, bars, shopping centers, public transport and hospitals. Now the government turns the second round. According to the Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, the objectives are to avoid contagion, to give a new impetus to the vaccination process and to establish the conditions for keeping work activities open. On the strategy of these measures and cuts, Emmanuel Macron said at the end of July: "We are going to reward humanity and we are going to devote the cuts to those who are not vaccinated," he added.
According to data provided until Sunday, at least 71.8% of the French population has received one dose of the vaccine and 64.6% have received both doses.
In case of non-compliance, fine and imprisonment
If the head of the company does not guarantee that all workers have the certificate, he could be sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of up to EUR 9,000. The penalty for the worker is as follows: the employer could dismiss the company if, after two months of suspension of his salary, he did not obtain the COVID-19 passport.
Compulsory COVID-19 certification has sparked protests in Iparralde and France. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the more than two hundred demonstrations that have taken place throughout the French State. These are the protests that have taken place during the seven consecutive weekends.