Betalningsuppföljning och dröjsmålsdirektivet 2011/7/EU: så undviker du sena betalningar

EU-artikkeli

Denna artikel är EU-fokuserad. Nationella detaljer kan variera från land till land.

Late payments are among the most common problems for SMEs. The EU Late Payment Directive 2011/7/EU sets clear rules for payment terms and interest on arrears. In this article, we'll go through what the directive means in practice and how invoicing software helps with payment tracking.

Late payments – a problem for small businesses

According to the EU Commission, SMEs suffer the most from late payments. Money that should be in the account is tied up in the client's processes.

Consequences for a small business:

Cash flow is disrupted – salaries, rent, and taxes still need to be paid on time
Short-term financing has to be acquired unnecessarily
Time is spent on drafting payment reminders and collections
At worst, unpaid invoices lead to credit losses

Late Payment Directive 2011/7/EU: the basic idea

The EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU) sets minimum requirements for payment terms and interest on arrears across the EU. Key rules:

Invoices between businesses: payment terms may not exceed 60 days unless otherwise agreed and it is reasonable
Public sector: payment term is 30 days
Interest on arrears: at least the ECB reference rate + 8 percentage points
Compensation for recovery costs: the creditor is entitled to a minimum standardized compensation of 40 euros for recovery costs

In Finland, the directive has been implemented into the Act on Payment Terms in Commercial Contracts (30/2013).

Reminder path: how to proceed when an invoice is overdue

An effective reminder process proceeds systematically:

Due date +1 day: automatic payment reminder (polite)
Due date +14 days: second reminder, mention of interest on arrears
Due date +30 days: third reminder, warning of collection action
Due date +45 days: transfer to collection or legal action

The automatic payment reminders of invoicing software (like Eemel Invoicing) ensure that no overdue invoice goes unnoticed.

Connection to sales ledger

Essential for payment tracking is that the invoicing system and sales ledger work together:

Payments are automatically allocated to the correct invoices
Open receivables are visible in real-time
Interest on arrears is calculated automatically
Customer-specific payment history helps assess credit risk

Läs mer about the benefits of e-invoicing in our e-invoicing article.

Practical example: an advertising agency and large clients with long payment terms

A three-person advertising agency worked for large companies. Payment terms were 45–60 days. Cash flow was constantly tight.

Solution:

Automatic payment reminders from Eemel Invoicing – reminders were sent after the due date without manual work
Automatic calculation of interest on arrears was shown in the reminders
Open receivables were visible on one screen – no need to browse invoices separately

Result: the average payment period shortened from 47 days to 31 days within six months.

Try it in practice

Eemel Invoicing's automatic payment reminders and sales ledger keep cash flow in check.

Start for free

"Usein kysytyt kysymykset"

"Mikä on suurin sallittu maksuaika yritysten välillä?"

"EU:n viivästysdirektiivin mukaan 60 päivää, ellei toisin sovita ja se on kohtuullista velkojan kannalta."

"Paljonko viivästyskorko on?"

"Vähintään EKP:n viitekorko + 8 prosenttiyksikköä. Suomessa tämä on käytännössä usein noin 11–12 %."

"Voiko viivästyskoron periä automaattisesti?"

"Kyllä. Eemel Invoicing laskee viivästyskoron automaattisesti ja lisää sen maksumuistutukseen."

"Mitä 40 euron vakiokorvaus tarkoittaa?"

"Velkojalla on oikeus vähintään 40 euron korvaukseen perintäkuluista ilman erillistä näyttöä todellisista kuluista."

"Miten automaattinen maksumuistutus toimii?"

"Laskutusohjelmisto seuraa eräpäiviä ja lähettää muistutuksen automaattisesti, kun lasku on myöhässä. Sinun ei tarvitse muistaa erikseen."

"Lähteet"

"Tämä artikkeli on yleisluontoinen eikä ole oikeudellista neuvontaa."