| Content | 9,09% more non-payments compared to the first quarter of 2012. 1 business invoice out of 7,5 leads to non-payment.
During the second quarter of 2012, 63,31% of the invoices exchanged between Belgian enterprises were paid on time: a deterioration compared to the first quarter of 2012.
The Belgian business community also reports a considerable increase of the number of invoices paid far too late (i.e. over 90 days past expiry date) or not paid at all. As fas as the second quarter of 2012 is concerned, we state that 13,2% of all invoices exchanged within the Belgian business community are paid over 90 days late or not paid at all. The aforesaid figure represents the second worst observation since the development of the payment index (2002).
This means that once again, one invoice out of 7,5 is a ‘default’ invoice. Compared to the first quarter of 2012, it represents an increase of + 1,1 percentage point, which means that currently 9,09% more invoices than before are paid much too late. In relation to the fourth quarter of 2011, it even concerns an increase of 20,7% invoices paid much too late.
After the figures reached rock bottom during the second quarter of 2011, and after the slightly improved – or rather ‘less worse’ – results afterwards, the payment behaviour continued to deteriorate two quarters ago.
The Graydon payment index again decreases during two consecutive quarters and evolves as follows:
- from 99,41 during the first quarter of 2011 to 96,02 points at the end of the second quarter and to 99,96 during the third quarter of 2011
- from 99,98 during the fourth quarter of 2011 to 99,22 during the first quarter of 2012 and currently to 98,06.
This is the second worst result since the development of the Graydon payment index (2002).
In particular, the sustained downward trend of the payment behaviour of our enterprises is alarming.
Whereas during the first quarter of 2012 we only noted a decrease of the B2B payment morality in the Brussels Capital Region and the Walloon Region, this decrease has been observed during the second quarter of 2012 in the Flemish Region, too.
After three consecutive quarters of improvement, the Graydon payment index for businesses established in the Flemish Region has decreased from 101,67 points during the first quarter of 2012 to 100,55 points during the past second quarter.
For enterprises having their registered office in the Walloon Region we still note a downward tendency and during the second quarter of 2012 the Graydon payment index ended in 92,84 points.
Enterprises having their registered office in the Brussels Capital Region ended in 96,5 points during the second quarter of 2012, which is the lowest payment index registered for Brussels enterprises over the the past few years.
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