11/12/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 11 December, the European Commission announced that it would issue €90 billion in long-term European bonds in the first half of 2025, following on from the 2024 issuance programme. This year, the EU raised €138 billion in long-term funds. These loans from international financial markets are intended to finance the EU’s political programmes. They are redistributed to Member States and third countries. In particular, they drive the EU’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and provide assistance to Ukraine and the Western Balkans, according to the European Commission. It already anticipates issuing around €160 billion in European bonds in 2025. (FS)