In 2023 the Credit Management Institute of Ireland was welcomed as a member of the EU Payment Observatory. It’s work in Ireland is co-ordinated through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. 

What is it exactly?

The European Union (EU) Payment Observatory is a pivotal initiative established to monitor, analyse, and disseminate data on payment performance and behaviour in commercial transactions within the EU.

What is it’s purpose?

The EU Payment Observatory was created in response to the persistent issue of late payments in commercial transactions, which has been identified as a cause of one out of four bankruptcies in the EU. Late payments have a ripple effect, leading to a chain of financial difficulties for businesses involved. The observatory aims to fill the gap in monitoring tools that has hindered the effective implementation and enforcement of the Late Payment Directive1.

Why?

By participating in the EU Payment Observatory, businesses and stakeholders can gain insights into payment behaviours across Europe, including Ireland, access valuable data, and contribute to a culture of financial responsibility and prompt payments within the EU.

The benefits to CMII and our members

  • Monitoring Trends: The observatory monitors trends and developments in payment performance and behaviour in commercial transactions within the EU.
  • Data Collection and Analysis: The observatory collects, validates, and consolidates data on payments, particularly between businesses (B2B) and government to business (G2B), which can be crucial for understanding payment practices.
  • Promoting Prompt Payment Culture: It aims to combat late payments in commercial transactions, which are a significant cause of bankruptcies, especially among SMEs.
  • Policy and Initiative Repository: It provides a repository of initiatives and policy documents that can help businesses improve their payment practices.
  • Dissemination of Information: The observatory disseminates data and information through the publication of annual and thematic reports, as well as the organization of events.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: It includes a Stakeholder’s Forum that gives operational support and advice, fostering a community approach to improving payment discipline.