Financial co-operative Desjardins Group has raised $1.4 billion, or 1 billion euros, in its largest-ever debt issue.

“Less than five months after our preceding issue on the European market, the success of this one shows that investors’ great interest in Desjardins Groups securities remains at very high levels,” said Jean-Guy Langelier, president and CEO of Caisse centrale Desjardins, in a news release.

The 500-million-euro mark had never been passed through before, the Montreal-based company said.

The financing, paid for by European institutional investors, was handled by Calyon of the Groupe Credit Agricole, DZ Bank AG in Germany and Natexis Banques Populaires.

Caisse centrale Desjardins is the treasurer of the Desjardins Group, the largest financial co-operative group in Canada, with assets over $118 billion.

Desjardins owns a network of caisses, credit unions and Corporate Financial Centres in Quebec and Ontario, and about 20 subsidiary companies in life and general insurance, securities and asset management.