In this report Intrum gathered data from 9,607 companies across Europe to gain insight into the payment behavior and financial health of European businesses.

Through this comprehensive survey among European companies, Intrum generates awareness and debate among politicians and the media, for example, how late or non-payments impact the economies of the EU. The survey is documented and communicated to selected groups. In 2018, we will distribute more than 8,000 reports containing data based on the survey.

The majority of European companies report financial difficulties among their debtors as being the main cause of late payments by their own customers. Of the European companies surveyed in 2018, 62 percent report this as being one of the main causes for late payment. 48 percent report intentional late payments as one of the main causes, and 45 percent report administrative inefficiencies on the part of customers as yet another of the main causes. 

The Late Payment Directive (directive to protect companies from suffering from late payments) recommends that payment periods for companies to be at most 60 days and for public authorities 30 days.