Has the EU introduced or is it introducing a carbon passport, whereby we will be limited to taking only two flights per year? No, that's not true: The ecological impact of the tourist industry, as well as the concept of a carbon passport, have long been discussed, but there is no evidence to show that the European Union or any affiliate EU institution has capped or intends to cap people's flights to two per year, nor does it have the right to, as per Article 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The claim originated in a video that was later removed but archived here, published on TikTok by user @aurelianR0 on January 27, 2024. The same video is still visible on the user's blog (archived here). The caption, translated from Romanian into English by Lead Stories staff, reads:
The EU is forcing the carbon passport down our throats - carbon cap of 4 tons/year, 2 flights/year, semipermanent lockdown.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Tuesday, Jan. 30 16:35:33 2024 UTC)
Whereas the ecological impacts of the tourism industry on climate are well known (archived here) and the concept of a "carbon passport" is not new (archived here), the EU is not planning to introduce a law/act meant to limit people's right to travel to two flights a year, according to Google News searches conducted by Lead Stories staff on February 12, 2024, using the keywords "Europe to introduce carbon passport" (archived here) and "Europe to limit people's flights to two per year" (archived here).
All EU citizens have the right to move and reside freely within the EU. This fundamental right is established by Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. EU nationals enjoy the right of free movement and they are entitled to travel, work, and live in another EU country. While climate experts (archived here) have talked about dystopian measures that might be needed in the future, if people don't cut their emissions footprint, such a law has not been proposed by any European institution or figure of authority with decision-making power.
