Members of the European Parliament today hailed the approval of a multi-million pilot project as the first step towards a £1.3 billion a year giveaway of free rail tickets to every EU citizen on their 18th birthday.

The £10.7 million pilot project will see 20,000 freebies handed out to youngsters on their birthday in the interests of building a sense of “European identity”, in a project that Conservative MEPs have said is a waste of taxpayers' money.

“This will enable them to get to know Europe better and experience first-hand the advantages of being an EU citizen,” said Siegfried Mureşan, the European People Party’s (EPP) lead MEP on the budget, said.

Interrail tickets, which can cost hundreds of euros, allow holders unlimited travel across Europe’s rail networks with a single pass and for a set period

"When we came up with the idea of giving a free Interrail ticket to every young European on their 18th birthday to enable them to appreciate the beauty of our continent, nobody took it seriously. But we did not give up,” said Mr Mureşan.

“Now we have achieved the first step,” the Romanian centre-right MEP added. “For it to become reality we need to continue putting pressure on member state governments.”