Resoconto integrale delle discussioni

Giovedì 17 gennaio 2019 - Strasburgo

11.10. Lotta contro i ritardi di pagamento nelle transazioni commerciali (A8-0456/2018 - Lara Comi)

Oral explanations of vote

  Lucy Anderson (S&D). – Madam President, I voted for this report, along with a large majority of the European Parliament, and was glad to do so. Late payment for their goods and services is a major problem for smaller companies in practice. According to the Federation of Small Businesses in the UK, up to 85% of small businesses report that they are sometimes paid late. Seventeen per cent say that late payment happens even after the 60-day default position in the Late Payment Directive.

This is completely unfair and a serious business risk for those negatively affected. Our report highlights the failure of the Late Payment Directive adequately to tackle the issue. Loopholes in the directive unfortunately allow for late payment to continue.

So I welcome that we’re calling today for legislative action where necessary and appropriate to take a firmer approach against those who do not pay in time, and to pay particular attention to procurement and other processes so that smaller businesses promptly get the money they are owed from public-sector organisations.