The European Investment Bank has launched a unique new bond targeted at retail investors across the eurozone, the first issue of its size to use the "passport" system for bond prospectuses introduced last year.

The €1bn ($1.3bn) benchmark, inflation-linked bond, issued under a new brand called Eurozone Public Offering of Securities, will be sold through a public offering in the 12 countries of the eurozone and complies with the new rules laid out in the European Union's Prospectus Directive.