France reduces average payment delays to 12.3 days

In the first half of 2026, payment delays in France reached their best level in three years, with an average delay of 12.3 days. This performance is superior to the European average of 13.1 days. Approximately 49.7% of French companies are now paying suppliers on time, a 4.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

This improvement is attributed to regulatory shifts, including stricter sanctions for late payers and the mandatory implementation of electronic invoicing for large companies as of September 1, 2026. While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have driven much of this progress, challenges remain in the public sector, particularly within hospitals, where delays exceed 24 days.

Across Europe, the Netherlands maintains the lowest average delay at 2.9 days, followed by Germany at 6.5 days. Conversely, Portugal reports an average delay of 23.3 days, and Ireland has seen a significant degradation in payment timeliness, rising to 15.8 days in the first half of 2026.