European Payment Order
European Payment Order The European Payment Order, regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006, is a simplified, standardized procedure that allows a creditor to claim unpaid, uncontested monetary claims of a cross-border nature within the European Union without the need for complex or time-consuming court proceedings to obtain an enforcement order.
Specifically, the procedure applies to civil and commercial matters and requires one of the parties to have their residence/ seat in a Member State other than that of the court to which the applicant is applying for the European Payment Order (cross-border nature) and the claim must be clear, specific, and due. It does not apply to tax, customs, or administrative matters, or to cases involving the liability of the state for acts or omissions in the exercise of state authority. Finally, the Regulation does not apply to matrimonial property disputes, inheritance disputes, bankruptcies, social security disputes, or claims arising from non-contractual relationships, unless the latter are the subject of an agreement between the parties or there is an acknowledgment of the debt or they are linked to settled debts arising from joint ownership.
More specifically, the procedure begins with the creditor filing an application with the competent court using the standard form A (EPO_A_10092025_EN (1).pdf). Jurisdiction is determined in accordance with the relevant rules of EU law, in particular Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001, with the sole restriction being that if the defendant is a consumer or if the claim relates to a contract concluded by the consumer for a purpose unrelated to his professional or commercial activity, only the courts of the defendant’s place of residence shall have jurisdiction. The application must include at least: the details of the parties, the court to which the application is addressed, the amount of the claim and its origin (cause), with reference to the principal and interest, the costs, the evidence in support of the claim, the facts on which the jurisdiction and the cross-border nature of the case are based, and the bank details in case the defendant wishes to settle the claim.
The court shall examine as soon as possible, and normally within 30 days of the application being lodged, whether the conditions for admissibility (cross-border nature of the dispute in civil and commercial matters, jurisdiction of the court seised, etc.) and the validity of the claim. It should be noted that the 30-day time limit does not include the time required for the claimant to correct, complete or amend the application. If the court finds that the minimum content requirements of the application are not met and if the application is not manifestly inadmissible or unfounded, it may give the applicant the opportunity to correct or complete it within a specified time limit, using the special form B ( EPO_B_11092025_EN (2).pdf), which it may extend if it deems it necessary in the circumstances. In fact, if the conditions are met for only part of the claim, the court shall inform the claimant using the standard form C (EPO_C_11092025_EN.pdf) , so that the latter can respond within the set time limit if he agrees to the issuance of the European Payment Order for that part of the claim, otherwise the court will reject the application for the entire claim.
If the court finds that the conditions of the Regulation are met and finds no grounds for rejection, it issues the European Payment Order using the standard form E (EPO_E_11092025_EN.pdf). The issuance of a European Payment Order requires the payment of a fee on the amount owed, and the court hearing the case is responsible for issuing it. The European Payment Order informs the defendant that they have the following options: either to pay the claimant the amount specified in the Order or to contest the Order using the standard form F (EPO_F_11092025_EL.pdf) within 30 days of notification, stating that they dispute the claim, without having to specify the reasons.
Otherwise, the court shall reject the application if the conditions of Articles 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 of Regulation (EC) No. 1896/ 2006 regarding the conditions for the admissibility of the application are not met, or in the case of a manifestly unfounded or inadmissible application, as well as if the claimant fails to take the necessary action within the time limit set by the court, i.e. fails to correct or complete his statement or does not accept the issue of a European order for payment for only part of the claim. The rejection and the reasons for it are notified to the claimant using the standard form D (EPO_D_11092025_EL.pdf) and are not subject to appeal or cassation. Finally, the rejection of the application does not prevent the claimant from pursuing the claim through a new application for a European order for payment or any other procedure provided for by the law of a Member State.
Then, once the court has accepted the application, the order is served on the debtor by the court. More specifically, the European order for payment may be served or notified to the defendant in accordance with the national law of the State in which service or notification is effected, by one of the following methods: (a) personal service or notification certified by a receipt, which includes the date of receipt and is signed by the defendant; (b) personal service or notification, attested by a document signed by the competent person who effected the service or notification, stating that the defendant has received the document or refused to receive it without legal justification, as well as the date of service or notification, c) service or notification by post, certified by a receipt, which includes the date of receipt, signed and returned by the addressee, (d) service or notification by electronic means, such as fax or email, confirmed by a receipt, which includes the date of receipt, signed and returned by the addressee.These methods of service relate to service or notification with proof of receipt by the addressee.
However, service or notification may be effected without a proof of receipt by the addressee, and therefore in one of the following ways: a) personal service or notification at the addressee’s personal address, to persons living with the addressee or working there, b) if the addressee is self-employed or a legal entity, personal service or notification at the addressee’s place of business, to persons employed by the addressee, c) placing the order in the addressee’s mailbox, d) depositing the order at a post office or competent public authority and placing a written notice of such deposit in the addressee’s mailbox, provided that the written notice specifies the nature of the document as a procedural document or the legal effect of the notification as having the same effect as service or notification and marks the start of the time limits, (e) by post without proof of delivery in accordance with paragraph 3, provided that the addressee has his address in the Member State of origin; f) electronic means certified by automatic confirmation of receipt, provided that the defendant has expressly accepted this method of service or notification in advance. All of the above shall apply only if the debtor’s address is known with certainty.
If the defendant does not lodge an objection after being notified of the European payment order within the prescribed time limit, the order becomes enforceable automatically using the standard form G (EPO_G_11092025_EL.pdf ) and can be used as a court decision in any EU Member State (except Denmark), without the need for a procedure for the recognition of a foreign judgment. However, if an objection is lodged, the case will not proceed under the European Payment Order procedure, but may proceed under normal civil proceedings in the competent court, in accordance with the national law of the Member State of origin.
The main advantages of the European Payment Order are its speed, low cost, no obligation to appear in court, and the possibility of enforcement in all EU Member States in a uniform and automated manner. One disadvantage is that the applicant for a European Payment Order only needs to refer to the available evidence to justify their claim, without having to produce it. However, this simplifies and speeds up the procedure, it means that the debtor is unable to examine the evidence cited and then decide whether it is worthwhile to challenge the order for payment by submitting objections.
The information is accurate to the best of our knowledge as at the time of writing. We have no obligation to update it. We accept no responsibility against any third party who is not a client of the firm and has not signed the terms of our engagement.