At the annual breakfast hosted by * Cabinet ARC*, the Minister of the Economy praised the work of the DGCCRF and announced stricter monitoring of business-to-business payment terms, in response to the concerning figures from the * Cabinet ARC*-IFOP survey unveiled at the event.
Late payments between businesses can no longer be tolerated: that was the gist of the message delivered by Economy Minister Eric Lombard at the Pavillon Gabriel during the annual breakfast hosted by Cabinet ARC. As a guest at the event, the Economy Minister responded to the results of the latest Cabinet ARC–Ifop survey, highlighting the seriousness of the situation and affirming his intention to strengthen enforcement.
According to the survey, 79% of companies are currently extending payment terms for their suppliers, and the average delay now stands at 17.3 days—2.5 days longer than a year ago. “This is a very serious cause for concern,” the minister acknowledged, adding, “In France, we’re really not where we should be.”
In the face of this trend, the DGCCRF is on the front lines. Éric Lombard recalled that one of his first visits as minister had been to a team within this powerful Bercy agency, based in Seine-Saint-Denis. “We’ve tasked DGCCRF Director Sarah Lacoche with stepping up monitoring of payment deadlines to penalize companies that don’t play by the rules.”
Denis Le Bosse, president of Cabinet ARC, welcomed this government initiative, noting that “every day of delay jeopardizes the cash flow of subcontracting SMEs.” Kérine Tran, partner and managing director of the firm, also emphasized “the importance of the political message sent to contractors,” particularly in the industrial sectors.
The minister concluded by emphasizing that large companies must act responsibly. “ The minister’s word alone is not enough, and you would be right. So we’re using the tools at our disposal to ensure compliance with the rules.”
Below are the minister's remarks regarding payment terms: