AIDA CCI and EEN Promote Crucial Survey on Late Payments in the EU
As part of its activities, the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)—a support instrument for businesses co-financed by the European Commission and represented in the Aveiro region by AIDA CCI—invites companies to participate in a crucial survey on “Late Payments.” This public consultation, launched by the European Commission, will be open for contributions until September 24, 2025.
The objective is to gather valuable information on the impact that late payments have on businesses and to understand the opinion of stakeholders on the new policy measures proposed to combat this practice, which is detrimental to the competitiveness and sustainability of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in particular.
The Context of the New Regulation on Late Payments
The current Late Payment Directive (Directive 2011/7/EU) has been in force since 2011, establishing rules for commercial transactions between the public sector and businesses, and between businesses themselves. However, its effectiveness has proven limited, leading the European Commission to propose a new regulation (2023/0323(COD)) in September 2023 to strengthen payment discipline across the European Union.
Late payments directly affect liquidity and cash flow predictability, compromising competitiveness, productivity, and, in extreme cases, the survival of companies. SMEs, which rely on regular and predictable cash flows, are the most affected by these negative consequences.
Key Proposals and Amendments Under Discussion
The proposed new regulation aims to introduce a stricter and more harmonized framework. Subsequently, the European Parliament adopted its position in April 2024, introducing several important amendments. The main measures under debate include:
- Unified Payment Term: Limiting the payment period to a maximum of 30 days for all commercial transactions, eliminating exceptions that allowed for longer terms.
- Automatic Interest and Compensation Fees: Making the charging of interest for late payments and a fixed compensation fee for recovery costs an automatic obligation, without the creditor needing to request it. The Parliament’s proposal suggests progressive compensation fees depending on the invoice value.
- Strengthening Enforcement: An obligation for Member States to designate national authorities responsible for enforcing the regulation and handling complaints submitted by companies.
- Creation of a European Observatory: The Parliament has proposed the creation of a European Observatory on Late Payments to monitor practices, share expertise, and identify harmful trends in the internal market.
Your Opinion is Crucial: Participate in the Survey
This public consultation represents a strategic opportunity for Portuguese companies to directly influence the final formulation of the new regulation. By sharing your experience and perspective, you will contribute to creating a fairer and more predictable business environment in Europe. Your participation is, therefore, of utmost importance to ensure that the future legislation effectively addresses the challenges faced on the ground.
How to Participate
Companies and other interested parties can make a decisive contribution to this legislative process by responding to the official questionnaire. AIDA CCI and the Enterprise Europe Network thank you in advance for your collaboration.
Respond to the survey here by September 24, 2025
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More information
Nilda Parreira
External Relations Office
T.: 234 302 493
n.parreira@aida.pt
Deolinda Costa
External Relations Office
T.: 234 302 493
d.costa@aida.pt
Enterprise Europe Network
AIDA CCI – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the District of Aveiro
Rua da Boavista – Alagoas – Esgueira – 3800-115 AVEIRO
een-portugal@aida.pt
