When silence becomes strategy
Your €147,000 German invoice hit 9 months overdue last Tuesday.
No dispute. No payment plan request. No angry email about the quality of your product.
Just silence.
Your sales team says the relationship is strong. Your credit manager says we should "give them another month." Your CFO knows that month won't matter.
Here's what you're missing: The European Payment Order.
What the European Payment Order Actually Does
The EPO is the EU's fast-track procedure for uncontested commercial debts. Think of it as legal pressure without the multi-jurisdiction nightmare.
How it works:
You file → Court reviews documentation → Debtor gets 30 days to object → If no valid objection, order becomes enforceable across all 27 EU member states.
No local lawyer required initially. No translation of full case files. No navigating 27 different court systems.
89% success rate when the debt is legitimate and the debtor has no valid defense.
The 30-day deadline is the key. Your debtor must file a formal objection within 30 days or the payment order becomes enforceable.
Most debtors who've been ignoring emails for 9 months don't suddenly become litigious when a court document arrives.
Why Finance Teams Wait Too Long
The average European exporter waits 14 months before considering legal action on cross-border receivables.
By month 14: • Your primary contact has left the company • Your debtor has restructured and your invoice is now "under review" • Newer creditors (who acted faster) are ahead of you • Your internal team is emotionally exhausted
The EPO works BECAUSE it's early-stage pressure.
Filing at month 4 signals: "We have documentation. We're not waiting."
Filing at month 14 signals: "We finally got desperate."
Debtors can smell desperation. They respond to credibility.
What You Need to File
Clear debt amount
Note(no disputed invoices)
Commercial contract or accepted purchase order
ImportantProof of delivery/service completion
CriticalInvoice(s) with payment terms
NoteDebtor location
Importantin an EU member state
This is educational information only. Consult qualified California counsel for specific compliance requirements.
The Part Nobody Tells You
The European Payment Order isn't magic. It's leverage.
What actually happens:
Scenario 1 (68% of cases): Debtor receives EPO notice, realizes you're serious, proposes payment plan before the 30-day deadline expires.
Scenario 2 (21% of cases): Debtor files no objection. Order becomes enforceable. You proceed to enforcement (asset seizure, bank garnishment, depending on jurisdiction).
Scenario 3 (11% of cases): Debtor files objection. Case converts to normal litigation. You're no worse off than before, but now you know they're willing to fight.
The EPO is a filter. It separates "we're broke and stalling" from "we have a legitimate dispute."
Most finance teams guess which category their debtor falls into. The EPO forces them to declare.
When NOT to Use the EPO
4 practices that drive results
You genuinely don't have proof of delivery
The debtor has filed a counterclaim
The amount is disputed (quality issue, quantity mismatch, etc.)
You want to preserve the relationship above all else
These patterns are based on successful recoveries—implementation requires adapting to each debtor's specific situation.
Takeaways for CFOs
- Time is leverage. The EPO works best at months 4-8, not month 18.
- Documentation wins. If you can't prove delivery and terms, you can't file.
- Silence is a strategy. Your debtor is betting you won't escalate. Prove them wrong.
- The 30-day clock matters. It forces a decision. Indecision favors you.
- This isn't DIY. Engage specialists who file EPOs regularly and know the procedural nuances.
The European Payment Order exists because the EU recognized that cross-border debt collection was a mess. They built a shortcut.
Most exporters don't use it because they don't know it exists.
Now you do.
Ready to Stop Waiting?
Collecty handles European Payment Order filings across all 27 EU member states. We assess eligibility, prepare documentation, and manage the process from filing to enforcement.
If you have an undisputed EU receivable aging past 120 days, we can evaluate whether the EPO is the right tool.
Contact Collecty to discuss your cross-border receivables strategy.
Marcus Chen
Senior Collections Strategist
Marcus brings 15 years of international debt recovery experience, specializing in cross-border B2B collections across Europe and Asia-Pacific.
