The Bank of France published an update on the plenary meeting of the Observatoire des Délais de Paiement, which reviewed recent developments in payment terms in France and took stock of ongoing parliamentary work and reforms affecting payment practices. Discussions focused on the main elements of a bill led by Senator Rietmann, recently adopted by the Senate and transmitted to the National Assembly, including a proposed increase in the ceiling for sanctions in light of the economic challenges faced by companies. The session also revisited recent payment-term trends that will feed into the Observatory’s next annual report, noting that average payment terms for French companies shortened in 2024 but unevenly, with marked deteriorations in certain sectors and for some categories of firms, and highlighting concerns over worsening payment times among public hospitals. The meeting closed with an update on the electronic invoicing reform, with attention to incorporating sector-specific use cases and ensuring effective implementation by companies to help reduce payment delays. The Observatory’s next report is expected in summer 2026.
Bank of France 2026-04-14
Bank of France Payment Terms Observatory discusses Rietmann bill to raise late-payment sanction ceilings and reviews e-invoicing reform
The Bank of France reported on a plenary meeting of the Observatoire des Délais de Paiement, which reviewed recent trends in payment terms, parliamentary work and reforms affecting payment practices in France. Participants discussed a Senate-adopted bill led by Senator Rietmann to increase sanction ceilings, uneven 2024 improvements in corporate payment terms including deteriorations in some sectors and hospitals, and progress on electronic invoicing reform aimed at reducing payment delays.