International debt collection actually begins even before you send an invoice. If you do business internationally, you want to know in advance who you’re dealing with. How creditworthy that company is, what payment terms are customary, which law applies, which court has jurisdiction and how a claim can be recovered locally. A thorough international credit analysis can prevent a costly debt recovery process. And, of course, prevention is always better than cure.
Inside or outside the EU?
Within the European Union, there are instruments for recovering cross-border claims, such as the European Payment Order for uncontested monetary claims and the European Account Preservation Order (EAPO). These allow a bank account in another EU Member State to be frozen, subject to certain conditions. In all EU Member States except Denmark. These are powerful tools, but they do not automatically solve every problem. Outside the EU, the situation is even more complex. Which law applies? What local formalities are required? How quickly can an attachment be made? In such cases, it is advisable to engage a local debt collection partner or solicitor. Experts are familiar with the local legal and commercial landscape. In addition to credit insurance specialists, the ICBA also has partners with expertise in commercial debt recovery.
Don’t wait too long
The longer you wait, the less likely you are to find a quick solution. You want to establish quickly why your customer isn’t paying up. Is it an administrative error, a commercial dispute, a temporary cash-flow problem or a refusal to pay? Every situation calls for a different approach. If your foreign debtor ultimately fails to pay and the loss is covered, credit insurance comes into play. But here too, we say: prevention is better than making a claim. Good credit information, up-to-date credit limits, active credit management and timely debt collection help to identify problems at an early stage.
Would you like to know how to ensure your international revenue actually ends up in your bank account? Please feel free to contact your Xolv adviser.