{
  "object_type": "everyday_agent",
  "schema_version": 1,
  "title": "Late payment in business contracts",
  "core": {
    "id": "agent:eu:everyday:late-payment",
    "jurisdiction": "eu",
    "domain": "contracts",
    "question": "How long can my business customer take to pay me in the EU?",
    "what_applies": "In business contracts, payment terms may not exceed 60 days unless expressly agreed and not grossly unfair; public authorities must pay within 30 days, or 60 in limited cases.",
    "what_must_i_do": [
      "State the payment term in the contract",
      "Charge statutory interest from the day after the due date",
      "Claim at least 40 euro fixed compensation per late invoice",
      "Keep proof of delivery and invoice dates"
    ],
    "if_nothing": "The late payer owes statutory interest of at least 8 percentage points above the reference rate and at least 40 euro per invoice, and grossly unfair terms can be set aside by a court.",
    "regulator": "No agency; enforced by national courts",
    "deadline": "Statutory interest runs from the day after the agreed or statutory due date.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "provision": "Directive 2011/7/EU, Art. 3",
        "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0007"
      },
      {
        "provision": "Directive 2011/7/EU, Art. 4",
        "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0007"
      },
      {
        "provision": "Directive 2011/7/EU, Art. 6",
        "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0007"
      },
      {
        "provision": "Directive 2011/7/EU, Art. 7",
        "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0007"
      }
    ],
    "read_at": "2026-10-14"
  },
  "sha256": "fb8ad4e99e140e05a74d83fed5fd2554ea3af40673d69f63602fffd66ed3a72b",
  "questions": [
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#1",
      "question": "What applies?",
      "answer": "In business contracts, payment terms may not exceed 60 days unless expressly agreed and not grossly unfair; public authorities must pay within 30 days, or 60 in limited cases."
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#2",
      "question": "What must I do?",
      "answer": "State the payment term in the contract. Charge statutory interest from the day after the due date. Claim at least 40 euro fixed compensation per late invoice. Keep proof of delivery and invoice dates."
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#3",
      "question": "What happens if I do nothing?",
      "answer": "The late payer owes statutory interest of at least 8 percentage points above the reference rate and at least 40 euro per invoice, and grossly unfair terms can be set aside by a court."
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#4",
      "question": "Who regulates this?",
      "answer": "No agency; enforced by national courts"
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#5",
      "question": "What is the deadline?",
      "answer": "Statutory interest runs from the day after the agreed or statutory due date."
    }
  ],
  "answered_of_five": 5,
  "gap_notes": [
    {
      "field": "regulator",
      "note": "The directive gives creditors rights against debtors; there is no supervisory authority, and claims are enforced in national courts."
    }
  ],
  "case_law": {
    "status": "not_in_register",
    "cases": [],
    "note": "No court decision in the register applies this rule yet; the answer rests on the cited provisions."
  },
  "related": [
    {
      "id": "agent:eu:everyday:electronic-signatures",
      "type": "agent",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/everyday-agent?id=agent:eu:everyday:electronic-signatures"
    },
    {
      "id": "agent:eu:everyday:vat-invoicing",
      "type": "agent",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/everyday-agent?id=agent:eu:everyday:vat-invoicing"
    },
    {
      "id": "agent:us:everyday:sale-of-goods-contracts",
      "type": "agent",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/everyday-agent?id=agent:us:everyday:sale-of-goods-contracts"
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#1",
      "type": "question",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/en/everyday/eu-late-payment"
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#2",
      "type": "question",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/en/everyday/eu-late-payment"
    },
    {
      "id": "question:eu:everyday:late-payment#3",
      "type": "question",
      "url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/en/everyday/eu-late-payment"
    }
  ],
  "related_count": 6,
  "page": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/en/everyday/eu-late-payment",
  "note": "Not legal advice. Verify each answer against the cited provision. Missing facts are not_in_register.",
  "attribution": "Source: NovaCopilot",
  "withheld": {
    "links_full": 6
  },
  "access": {
    "status": "partner_key_required",
    "header": "x-partner-key",
    "contact": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/kontakt",
    "note": "Facts and counts are public. Relationships and decision paths stay inside NovaCopilot."
  },
  "access_class": "decision",
  "access_view": "public"
}