One year after the European Green Bond Standard (EUGBS) went into effect, the more than €22bn in bonds have been issued, with consistent oversubscription.

The EUGBS regulatory framework for sustainable bonds took effect in late 2024, with issuances carrying the European Green Bond label. That means these bonds meet requirements including EU taxonomy-aligned use of proceeds, mandatory external review and standardised reporting.

Grid and renewable energy utilities lead early adoption, demonstrating the EUGBS's role in financing EU energy security and competitiveness objectives.

The issuances are part of a broader push to fund the European Green Deal and strengthen the EU's role in sustainable finance, and NextGenerationEU (NGEU) green bonds, which use a slightly different framework but support similar goals, reached a total of €78.5bn by late 2025.

The broader European green bond market is forecast to reach a record $370bn in 2026, driven by $200bn in sustainable bonds are due to mature in 2026, creating a strong baseline for new issuance. energy infrastructure ass the EU's Grid Package drives a 40 per cent increase in energy infrastructure investment through 2029 and NextGenerationEU raising up to €250bn via green bonds by the end of 2026.

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