EU finalises tech guideline for the interoperability of contact-tracing apps

EU member states finalised an agreement on the technical specifications of contact-tracing apps to ensure the interoperability of national apps  developed by member states. The agreement, which concerns apps based on a decentralised architecture, comes as European countries move to lift travel restrictions across borders. The technical specification of interoperability will allow users travelling from other member states to be notified of contacts with people who have later tested positive for the Coronavirus, without downloading the national app of the country they visit. According to a Reuters report, an EU official said that France’s contact-tracing app, StopCovid, may not be able to connect with other nations’ apps as it collects and stores data on a centralised server.