30/04/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 30 April, the European Commission announced that it was raising its target for EU bond issues (‘EU-Bonds’) to €100 billion for the first half of 2026, compared with the €90 billion initially planned. This decision is part of the adoption of the legislative instruments relating to the new support loan for Ukraine for 2026-2027 and is accompanied by an increase in the annual issuance programme to €180 billion. The funds raised will finance loans to EU Member States through Next Generation EU, as well as defence capabilities under the SAFE instrument. They will also cover other EU external priorities, including the Ukraine Facility, the Western Balkans and macrofinancial assistance to partner countries. Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/lrg (BD)