Glossary · Collections
European order for payment
The European order for payment is an EU procedure for collecting uncontested cross-border money claims using standard forms, with no upper value limit.
Created by Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006, the European order for payment lets a creditor in one EU country pursue an uncontested debt from a debtor in another using standard forms, without a hearing. It applies in every member state except Denmark, and there is no maximum claim value.
The court checks the application and issues the order. The debtor then has 30 days to lodge a statement of opposition. If they don’t, the order becomes enforceable across the EU without further steps. If they do, the case moves into ordinary civil proceedings.
It suits clear debts that the customer simply hasn’t paid. For disputed claims, or ones where opposition is likely, other procedures fit better.
Example
A Dutch agency is owed €18,000 by a client in Austria that has neither paid nor disputed the invoices. The agency files a European order for payment; the client doesn’t oppose within 30 days, and the order becomes enforceable in Austria.