European airports are demanding action against Malta for breaching EU COVID travel rules.

According to new rules that came into force on January 17 in Malta, vaccine certificates are valid for only three months from the second dose instead of the nine-month period set out by the European Commission.

The three-month rule has already come under fire from the EU, which said it breaches its rules. Anyone who has had a booster dose will have nine months until their vaccine certificate expires. 

Malta International Airport has also urged Maltese health authorities to reconsider the new vaccine certificate rules, saying they put an "unnecessary burden" on residents. 

According to Politico Pro, European airports are “extremely concerned” about Malta’s decision to limit the validity of the EU’s digital COVID certificate.

The news platform said ACI Europe had sent a letter to the European Commission to highlight a “breach” of EU rules.

In the letter, ACI’s Director General Olivier Jankovec said the lobby group would be “extremely grateful” if the commission investigated the matter “urgently,” contacted Maltese authorities and asked them to abide by EU rules.

Local sources confirmed the content of the letter with Times of Malta.