European Payment Report 2021

The European Payment Report (EPR) describes the impact late payments have on the development and growth of European businesses. The insights are based on a survey from about 10,000 executives across 29 European countries covering 15 industry sectors. The full report was published in June 2021.

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Resilience through payment management

59% of European businesses have used the pandemic as an opportunity to improve late payment management. While challenges remain, especially with government aid winding down, businesses are more focused than ever on managing cash flows and payment terms to protect their financial health.

Late payments threaten business growth

Nearly 37% of businesses report that late payments are actively restricting their growth. This figure has risen by 10 percentage points since 2020, indicating a worsening scenario as companies face longer payment terms and debtors' liquidity challenges.

Digital innovation linked to faster payments

71% of businesses believe that faster payments would directly enable investment in environmental sustainability, while 70% report that quicker payments would drive further innovation in their digital strategies. Cash flow is crucial for both growth and sustainability goals across sectors.

Other editions of the report:

European Payment Report 2024

The 2024 report is based on insights from 9,255 executives across 25 European countries. This years' findings shows corporate cost-cutting at a four-year high despite growing economic optimism. Businesses are losing more than a quarter of the working year (73 working days) chasing late payments.

Country Snapshots White Paper 2023

The Country Snapshots White Paper provides detailed country-specific insights on payment behaviors across Europe. Discover how inflation, payment gaps, and sustainability challenges vary between regions, offering an in-depth supplement to the main European Payment Report.

European Payment Report 2023

The report is based on a survey that was conducted simultaneously in 29 European countries between the end of November 2022 and March 2023. A total of 10,556 companies across 15 industries in Europe participated in the research.

European Payment Report 2022

Discover key findings from the European Payment Report 2022, covering the impact of inflation, cash flow management, and the importance of ESG in business payment practices. Learn how European companies are navigating economic uncertainty.

European Payment Report 2020

Discover key insights from the European Payment Report 2020, including the rising risk of late payments, widening payment gaps, and business strategies to cut costs and prepare for recession in an uncertain economic landscape.

White Paper 202: Covid-19 Special Edition

This White Paper, released in May 2020, comes as an additional publication to the European Payment Report 2020. The insights are based on data from 9,980 companies across 29 European countries and delves into how the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the European payments landscape.