In July 2025, the European Commission opened a public consultation aimed at addressing one of the most pressing challenges in road transport: delayed payments. This initiative forms part of the ongoing review of European rules on the matter, with the goal of collecting opinions, data and experiences from businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to shape a more effective legislative response. Across the European Union, between 18 and 40 billion invoices circulate each year – more than 500 every second – and around half are settled beyond the agreed deadlines. The impact on road transport is particularly severe. Delays in payment erode liquidity, stall investment and can threaten the very survival of many businesses, especially in a sector already operating on tight margins.
The consultation builds on a process already underway. In September 2023, the Commission proposed a Regulation to replace the existing 2011 Directive, introducing a maximum payment period of thirty days between businesses, unified sanctions and the removal of current legal ambiguities. The proposal was approved by the European Parliament in April 2024 with a broad majority of 459 votes, but it remains stalled in the Council of the European Union, where some member states are calling for a return to the Directive format, which would allow national adaptations.
In parallel, Brussels has launched an SME Panel to gather the views of small and medium-sized enterprises on the reform. The questionnaire, accessible until 25 September 2025, aims to assess the real impact of late payments and collect suggestions on dispute resolution mechanisms, widespread unfair practices and the most critical contractual conditions. Participation is possible via the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/SME-Panel-late-payment-2025-GROW-A2
One example that has caught the Commission’s attention is Spain. Since 2021, Spain has introduced strict legislation imposing fines of up to 30,000 euros on clients who delay payments for road transport services. The measure has delivered concrete results: according to data from the Permanent Observatory on Late Payments, the average payment period has decreased by 30%, dropping from over 85 to 60 days in less than four years. The introduction of a blacklist for repeat offenders has also proved decisive. In the second half of 2024 alone, three hundred companies were fined a total of more than 720,000 euros. Today, 77% of payments in Spain are made within ninety days, a benchmark that few other European countries in the transport sector can match.
European figures speak for themselves: road transport is among the worst-performing sectors for payment punctuality, with an average of 58 days, second only to the energy sector at 62 days. In Portugal and Greece, only 15% and 11% of payments respectively are made on time, indicating a structural problem. The high prevalence of unfair practices and the growing financial risk have made the sector a particular focus of attention for Brussels. Delays in cash flow can trigger a chain reaction, from the non-payment of wages to the interruption of essential services such as fuel supply, maintenance and toll payments.
