Last update of the EU list of common COVID-19 antigen tests

The worst of the COVID pandemic may have passed, but we all remember the COVID-19 negative test results needed to travel, and socialise safely.

With huge numbers of tests developed early in the pandemic and new test kits becoming available all the time, the JRC created the COVID-19 In-vitro diagnostic devices and test methods database as a one-stop shop collecting information on COVID-19 test kits and methods. This database was the cornerstone of the EU common list of reliable COVID-19 antigen tests.

JRC’s database: helping to re-open EU

Only the antigen tests published in the EU common list could be used to issue EU digital COVID test and recovery certificates. Since these were mutually recognised by all EU countries, they allowed millions of people across the EU to travel safely during the pandemic.

By the end of October 2022, EU countries had issued nearly 365 million EU digital COVID certificates based on the results of antigen tests included in the EU common list. Now including nearly 300 COVID-19 antigen tests, the list has just been updated one last time.

The JRC co-chaired, together with DG SANTE, a technical working group of the Health Security Committee to compile and update the EU common list, bringing together experts from the 27 EU countries and Norway, as well as representatives from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Having reviewed over 1 100 applications from manufacturers that were submitted through the JRC’s database, the technical working group has now been discontinued.

Aiming always to anticipate crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and learning from this pioneering work, the JRC and health experts in the Commission are developing a report showing how policy and research together can address future health emergencies.