The Croatian Foreign Ministry's state secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombic has taken part in an informal video conference of EU foreign ministers which discussed, among other things, the Covid-19 pandemic, first and foremost the introduction of Covid passports before the summer.

The European Commission said the delivery of vaccines in the second quarter has accelerated and the Portuguese presidency reported on an agreement to introduce digital green certificates, with the hope that negotiations with the European Parliament will end by the end of May, so that the issue of the certificates could begin before the summer season, the ministry said on Tuesday.

Metelko-Zgombic underlined the importance of securing sufficient vaccines and supported efforts to strengthen capacities for the production of vaccines and their ingredients throughout the EU.

She said Croatia was intensively working on technical solutions for the digital green certificates.

She also expressed concern over incidents in Northern Ireland, saying that full implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol is the best way to keep the peace and stability and protect the single market.

Commission Vice President Dubravka Suica and the Portuguese presidency reported on preparations to officially launch the Conference on the Future of Europe in Strasbourg on 9 May.

The Portuguese presidency also reported on enlargement and the stabilization and association process so that intergovernmental conferences can be held with North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro as part of the new methodology of EU accession negotiations.