For WHO to remain software neutral, the Smart Vaccination Certificate approach is focused on establishing key specifications, standards and a trust framework for a digital vaccination certificate to facilitate implementation of effective and interoperable digital solutions that support COVID-19 vaccine delivery and monitoring, with intended applicability to other vaccines. With WHO, a number of agencies including UNICEF, ITU and the European Commission are contributing to this initiative through a multi-sectoral working group, focused on joint-learning and supporting use of the finalized specifications and standards for digital vaccination certificates, architected for linkage to national and cross-border digital systems. 

The Smart Vaccination Certificate working group brings together experts to focus on defining specifications and standards for a digital vaccination certificate that would serve current and future requirements, toward the dual purpose of (1) supporting continuity of care as well as (2) cross-border uses -- architected for a potential future in which the COVID-19 vaccine would be included in an updated version of the International Health Regulations. 

The working group's goal are to: 

1. Achieve consensus on common standards and governance for security, authentication, privacy, and data exchange;
2. Strategically align efforts and collaboration to manage lessons learned and commonalities; 
3. Establish guidance for member states to facilitate informed adoption; and
4. Foster shared and trusted global vaccine certificate architecture with digital solutions that support the COVID-19 vaccine use case and establish foundational services for other health services.

The objectives of the working group will be to: 

1. Publish recommended standards for security, authentication, privacy, and data exchange for outlined use cases;
2. Demonstrate and learn from successes and challenges (via demos, proofs of concept, and implementations);
3. Identify and curate multiple tools that conform to security, authentication, privacy, and data exchange standards identified and recommended by the working group. 
4. Develop appropriate guidance detailing use cases, standards, and best practices; and
5. Provide guidance to member states to ensure they can adopt and support digitized vaccination certificate solution.

The scope of this working group has changed. Please refer to this webpage for further details. Furthermore, the final output of this working group,"Digital Documentation of COVID-19 Certificates: Vaccination Status - Technical specifications and implementation guidance” has been published.