Electronic vaccination certificate

The Electronic Vaccination Record (hereinafter: eImpfpass) will completely replace the previous paper-based vaccination record in the future. The central eImpfpass application with the national vaccination register has been in use with its basic functions since October 2020. The eImpfpass project is being implemented by ELGA GmbH.

Origin Story

The federal government and the provinces have committed to creating the framework for the broader use of electronic health services, including a so-called Electronic Vaccination Record (Art 7 Abs 4 of the agreement pursuant to Art 15a B-VG on the organization and financing of the healthcare system). With the resolution of the Federal Target Control Commission of June 29, 2018, the design and financing of the eImpfpass pilot project as an eHealth application based on the secure ELGA infrastructure was established. Against this background, the legal basis for the eHealth application eImpfpass was created in 2020 through an amendment to the 2012 Health Telematics Act.

In addition to the provisions in the 2012 Health Telematics Act, regulations concerning the eImpfpass can also be found in the 2025 eHealth Ordinance. These regulations particularly concern vaccinations that must already be mandatorily entered in the eImpfpass (i.e. influenza, COVID-19, monkeypox, and HPV vaccinations), specific access rights to the eImpfpass, and the conditions for transitioning from the pilot phase to full operation of the eImpfpass.

Currently, the eImpfpass is in pilot operation, as not all functions required for full operation are available; full operation will begin on January 1, 2029. The missing functions are being developed by ELGA GmbH, which is responsible for the pilot project.

Main Objectives of the Project

  1. The replacement of the paper vaccination record or the elimination of the disadvantages associated with paper-based vaccination documentation: the eImpfpass will in the future represent the primary documentation for citizens. Supplements to electronic documentation are only necessary in cases where, for entry into certain countries, only the paper vaccination record (WHO form) is recognized. With vaccination recommendations derived from the "Austrian Vaccination Plan" in conjunction with a reminder system and the option for self-entry of past vaccinations, this objective directly addresses citizens and helps to highlight the benefits of digitizing the healthcare system.
  2. The eImpfpass will establish a data basis for statistics, in which information about vaccinations is stored in a central vaccination register by healthcare providers administering vaccinations in Austria, according to standardized guidelines. Only with this complete and quickly accessible data basis is it possible to obtain valid immunization rates or information about potential vaccination gaps. This goal primarily addresses public health authorities responsible for strategic direction and further development of vaccination policy but also supports the provision of reliable data for achieving internationally agreed eradication and elimination goals.
  3. The eImpfpass aims to improve outbreak and crisis management. Until now, manual or telephone investigations were sometimes necessary to carry out official measures. The use of vaccination register data should allow authorities to act more quickly and, potentially, more precisely when necessary. This objective therefore serves the task of public health to better protect and care for vulnerable population groups.
  4. Finally, the eImpfpass should simplify administration. The management of free vaccination programs is currently very labor-intensive. Billing processes are organized differently, and necessary information is sometimes transmitted via manually completed lists – this increases the error rate and requires time-consuming rework. The use of the vaccination register as a data basis should ease the workload for the institutions involved and exploit potential efficiency gains. This objective also addresses public health services.

Through the further development of the ELGA infrastructure, the technical implementation of the eImpfpass was carried out in order to ensure citizen satisfaction by optimizing care and treatment processes.

The eImpfpass was legally anchored through the addition of a new 2nd subsection to Section 5 of the Health Telematics Act regarding eHealth applications: While the technical infrastructure of ELGA components is used wholly or partially for the eImpfpass as an eHealth application, the eImpfpass does not fall under the regulatory regime of ELGA.

Unlike the ELGA regulatory regime, citizens have no right to object to the storage of vaccination data in the central vaccination register, as such an objection – unlike opting out of participation in ELGA – would contradict the significant public interest of society as a whole, particularly the improved ability to respond in the event of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and compliance with obligations to pursue international elimination and eradication goals. Therefore, there is no right to object to the eImpfpass; instead, there are appropriate and specific measures in place to protect the rights and freedoms of affected individuals. These include, in addition to organizational and technical data security measures, in particular the right of citizens to access data and log data stored about them in the central vaccination register, which can be exercised either electronically via the ELGA access portal or in writing via the ELGA Ombudsman’s Office.

Further Link

Website of the ELGA GmbH responsible for the pilot project

Legal Foundations

Translated by the European Commission
Last update: 5 May 2025

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection