Last Updated on May 19, 2022 by Team THIP
Quick Take
Recently, several social media users have shared a screenshot of an article published on a Montreal-based media website that claims the European Council has amended Resolution 2361 to no longer object against compulsory vaccination. We fact-checked and found the claim to be False.
The Claim
On April 1, 2022, a Montreal-based media website named GlobalResearch.ca published an article titled, “Mandatory Vaccination for the EU Just Went Through Under the Radar”. This article states that the information is ‘completely legit’ and came ‘from a very reliable source’. The first bullet point claims that ‘the European Council has amended resolution 2361 and no longer objects to compulsory vaccination’. While the second bullet point claims ‘As of July 1 2022 the EU has announced the legislation for the mandatory EU COVID 19 Certificates that deprive you of all freedoms if you do not have a QR covid certificate. If there is a majority of member states sighing the legislation, compulsory vaccination will be introduced’.
Several social media users have shared a screenshot of this article on Facebook, Twitter and blogging sites.
Fact Check
Did the European Union launch mandatory vaccination?
It does not seem so. Resolution 2361 was passed in January 2021 by the Council of Europe, not the European Council.
Resolution 2361 includes guidelines on ethical, legal and practical considerations around covid vaccines for member states and the European Union. We are unable to find an amendment that no longer legally objects to compulsory vaccination. Section 7.3.1 of this resolution clearly states, “ensure that citizens are informed that the vaccination is not mandatory and that no one is under political, social or other pressure to be vaccinated if they do not wish to do so”.
The confusion might have arisen from the fact that both the Council of Europe and the European Council read similarly. However, both are different governing bodies.
The Council of Europe is a 46-member organisation that protects human rights, democracy and the rule of law across the continent. But, the European Council comprises government members with the ultimate power in the European Union of planning union policy.
We could not find any evidence that can confirm any reference to mandatory vaccinations within the European Council. On the contrary, we found an update on the European commission website that suggests the European Union proposed a 12-month extension for the EU Digital COVID Certificate that can help citizens travel freely within the city. The extension will begin from July 1, 2022 if it gets approval.
In conclusion, it seems the GlobalResearch.ca website misunderstood the European Union Resolution 2361 law. Eventually, the website acknowledged the mistake and changed the headline to, “Digital Tyranny: The EU Digital Covid Vaccine Certificate Framework’.
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