commiss recommend payment period commerci transact text eea relev ec commiss european commun regard treati establish european commun april european parliament adopt resolut commiss commun council european subcontract market sme particip public procur contract commun call commiss make specif propos late payment june econom social committe adopt opinion commiss staff work paper problem time make payment commerci transact white paper growth competit employ commiss announc initi payment period commiss adopt commun implement integr programm favour sme craft sector european parliament resolut integr programm emphas commiss forward porpos deal problem late payment heavi administr financi burden busi small medium size result length payment period commerci transact overdu payment danger financi balanc surviv busi deterior payment practic major countri commun recent year deterior caus econom factor reflect structur trend busi relat intensif trade competit intern market bring gener lengthen payment period commun differ payment rule practic member state consitut obstacl proper function intern market undermin contractu freedom determin payment period advis promot greater transpar time limit applic contract parti encourag adher agre deadlin inform train busi small medium size matter payment period improv busi practic area penalti system overdu payment member state discourag late payment fulli compens creditor cost incur penalti system dissuas accompani redress procedur rapid effect inexpens creditor supplementari measur order improv adher payment period cross border transact public author public law enterpris handl consider volum payment busi strict payment disciplin part author spill effect economi current practic improv public procur contract open busi small medium size recommend articl object member state request legal practic step ensur adher contractu payment period commerci transact improv payment period public procur contract request step supplement legal administr system order reinforc transpar contractu relat improv train inform busi mitig fiscal effect late payment ensur adequ compens late payment guarante redress procedur elimin difficulti specif cross border trade improv payment public procur contract articl transpar inform train vat greater transpar payment period applic commerci transact encourag end member state request step encourag clear indic commerci contract period applic date payment fall due statement invoic written contract payment period invoic provid simpl clear rule determin payment period payment deadlin legal applic contract encourag indic commerci document discount charg applic earli late payment encourag indic commerci contract period receipt good servic recipi rais object qualiti quantiti receiv legisl subsidiari rule appli absenc provis contract stipul notic public procur contract bill quantiti precis detail payment period deadlin practis award author member state request encourag public privat initi includ profession organ design improv inform train offer busi small medium size manag payment period scheme involv provid advic legal assist draft commerci document contract provid inform train suitabl payment rule practic sector region countri intern extern debt recoveri procedur develop practic mean cash flow manag comput facil promot electron data interchang edi sme recours debt recoveri techniqu factor view specif sme effect liquid liabl aris late payment member state resquest provid enjoi favour payment period council direct eec sixth direct vat concern possibl defer payment vat invoic settl small busi permit small busi submit vat return longer period articl compens late payment condit creat creditor suitabl compens damag incur late payment debtor end member state request recogn creditor interest arrear contractu statutori period exceed set rate interest late payment applic absenc specif provis contract level suffici dissuas bad payer recogn addit interest arrear compens damag incur creditor late payment compens cover legal administr cost recoveri articl redress procedur step ensur creditor payment overdu access rapid effici inexpens redress procedur enabl obtain payment compens damag end member state request encourag introduct procedur settl claim recours legal proceed view rapid effici inexpens settlement payment disput improv effect simplifi legal procedur settlement claim respect limit sum procedur provid simpl low cost method take legal action threshold applicaton procedur set level cover consider number busi transact effici condit enforc rule made simplifi procedur improv effect accelar recoveri procedur procedur fewer formal shorter time limit grant writ execut debt contest procedur place quickli minimum formal financi cost creditor appli irrespect size claim articl cross border trade difficulti specif cross border trade respect payment elimin end member state request encourag inform train busi manag payment period cross border trade facilit recoveri procedur cross border debt disput made easier obtain writ execut debt measur facilit speed resolut law suit execut judgment case late cross border payment articl public procur contract step ensur public author public law enterpris defin council direct eec disciplin matter payment end member state request step ensur author concern awar consequ late payment financi econom oper adher period dai payment public procur contract prejudic shorter time effect member state request examin extent reduc time take public author pai compani extent simplifi relev exist rule establish precis administr procedur includ time limit ensur public payment made rapidli time limit fix complet pre payment administr formal public work recept procedur carri regular check payment period author level result made offici public provid payment time face invoic paid interest invoic paid date contract check made ensur public author adher principl make provis contractor paid reason time limit public procur contract articl report enabl commiss evalu progress made member state request forward report commiss action respect element recommend decemb articl addresse recommend address member state brussel commiss christo papoutsi member commiss