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Connie Hedegaard, the EU's climate commissioner, will unveil the measures today (1 April) as part of the Commission's contribution to the Rio Earth Summit in 2012.
"The Commission should lead by example in the fight against global warming and cut travel wherever possible," Hedegaard said, emphasising the role that videoconferencing can play in reducing unnecessary travel.
Janusz Lewandowski, the EU's budget commissioner, added: "With the current austerity mood, this is a measure that will also enable us to save on expenditure and keep costs under control."
Personal carbon quotas impose a maximum quantity of CO2 that each individual may emit into the atmosphere each year. Those who exceed their quota – for instance those who travel frequently by air or those who drive large gas-guzzling cars – can buy unused credits from individuals who have not used their own.
The exact form that such quotas could take is still subject to internal debate. However, Hedegaard is believed to favour a system in which 'quota transfers' are possible, which would enable those commissioners who drive the least carbon-friendly cars, and who travel long haul most frequently, to 'buy' carbon credits from their more desk-bound colleagues, or those who drive eco-friendly cars.
These transfers would go some way to meeting strong internal resistance to the measures voiced by the team of Catherine Ashton. As the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Ashton is required to spend much of her time flying, but her team are bitterly disappointed that an internal draft of the policy circulated this week makes clear that she would not escape the quota system, given her dual role as a vice-president of the Commission.
The idea has already been examined in the UK, where former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband suggested introducing "carbon credit cards" for citizens. The idea was later dropped because it was believed to be "ahead of its time in terms of public acceptability".
