ESG Post

Regulators

European Commission to issue €65bn EU-bonds in second half of 2024

The European Commission will issue up to €65 billion ($69.5bn) in EU-bonds in the second half of 2024, following the €75 billion ($80bn) issued in the first half. These funds will support the NextGenerationEU and other policy programs such as the Ukraine Facility and Macro-Financial Assistance programmes.

The Commission will continue financing the green component of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) through NextGenerationEU Green Bonds, totaling €60 billion. Issuance will be aligned with climate-relevant expenditures reported by Member States in accordance with the NextGenerationEU Green Bond Framework.

Since January 2023, the Commission has issued single-branded branded EU-bonds rather than separately labelled bonds for individual programmes.

The funding plans for the year’s second half will bring the total EU issuances of 2024 to €140 billion ($149bn). EU-Bonds issuances in 2025 and 2026 are expected to continue to increase to €150– €160 billion ($160-$171 bn) per year to finance the wider range of EU policy programmes.

Based on EU-bonds and NextGenerationEU Green Bonds raised since mid-2021, the Commission has so far disbursed over €240 billion ($256bn) in grants and loans to the EU Member States under the RRF. More than €55 billion ($58.8bn) has been allocated to other EU programmes benefitting from NextGenerationEU funding.