Chaini Parwani –
Published On: December 1, 2021 at 13:20 IST
The Court of Justice of the European Union on Tuesday dismissed a challenge to the European Parliament’s COVID rules.
The Court alleged that EU legislation require that elected Officials and staff show a Vaccination Certificate, Negative Test or Proof of Recovery to access its Buildings.
The Court while denying to suspend the Rules highlighted that the rules posed no obstacle to members of the Parliament fulfilling their Official Duties.
The Parliament’s sanitary rules, which were introduced in late October, were challenged by some members of the Parliament and their aides.
The President of the CJEU had previously observed that “The decision to condition access to the buildings of the Parliament in its three places of work on presentation of an EU Digital COVID Certificate, or an equivalent certificate, has neither the purpose nor the effect of calling into question the exercise of mandates of deputies elected to the Parliament or the exercise of Professional Activities.”
Further the Court noted that the opponents of the rules have no base to perform a specific argument in order to establish that the officials are not fulfilling their Duties in an appropriate manner.
Furthermore, while upholding Parliament’s health restrictions, the Court avoided potential allegations of hypocrisy, given that anyone currently attempting to enter the Court’s own buildings now must undergo a compulsory temperature check, and those allowed entry (with temperature no higher than 37.5 degrees) are obligated to wear masks.