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European Payment Report: Late Payments Are Now Hinder Growth in Europe

Богатство и дългLate payments in Europe have reached critical levels and are beginning to hinder business growth, according to the latest edition of the European Payment Report (EPR). According to the data, over 12% of companies’ revenue is received late – a threshold that businesses consider unsustainable for normal operations.

More than half of companies admit that it is precisely because of late payments that they have missed their growth targets. This underscores the devastating impact of the problem on the entire European economy, the report notes. The data includes a survey of 8,385 companies from 20 European countries.

Despite the challenging economic environment, 64% of companies cite growth as their top priority for 2026 – the highest share in the last five years. However, EPR data indicates that late payments are increasingly affecting companies’ day-to-day stability and limiting their growth ambitions.

The problem creates a ripple effect throughout supply chains. 62% of companies report that when they receive late payments, they also delay payments to their suppliers. As a result, the gap between agreed payment terms and actual payment dates continues to widen – in business-to-business transactions, it has increased from 16 days in 2023 to 20 days this year. 

Pressure is expected to remain high. More than half of the surveyed businesses predict that the risk of delayed or non-received payments will increase over the next 12 months, reflecting persistent economic uncertainty and financial difficulties.

In response to the situation, companies are tightening their payment management discipline. Six out of ten businesses are taking measures to avoid delays – the highest proportion recorded in the last six years. More and more organizations are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their payment processes – 66% are already using such technologies, up from 59% in 2025, with 23% citing increased efficiency as the main benefit. However, nearly 55% of companies admit they lack the skills needed to fully leverage the potential of AI.

View European Payment Report 2026_EN on Beautiful.ai