Europe Faces Payment Delays And Regulatory Shifts In 2026

As the calendar turns to 2026, Europe finds itself at a pivotal crossroads where economic resilience, regulatory evolution, and sustainability are colliding to reshape the business landscape. Across the continent, companies are grappling with delayed payments, navigating sweeping new cryptocurrency regulations, and racing to adopt sustainability measures that are no longer just window dressing—they’re a matter of survival. The past year has seen a surge in both challenges and opportunities, with the European Union at the center of these seismic shifts.

According to the 2025 Annual Report of the EU Payment Observatory, more than half of European companies in 2024 reported difficulties stemming from delayed payments, with average payment periods now exceeding 60 days in both business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (G2B) transactions. The Observatory, an initiative of the European Commission, highlights that larger companies remain the worst offenders, less likely to pay on time and increasingly forcing smaller partners to accept payment terms stretching far beyond their comfort zones. The report reveals a stark reality: "longer payment terms are linked to longer payment periods in 87% of cases."

Why is this happening now? The Observatory points to the ongoing economic slowdown and a challenging business environment as key culprits. As companies face tighter margins and uncertainty, they often delay outgoing payments to maintain liquidity—a practice that ripples through supply chains and undermines competitiveness. During a recent webinar on January 30, 2026, experts and business leaders convened to discuss these findings and debate solutions. The consensus was clear: poor payment practices threaten not just individual firms, but the resilience of the entire European economy.

There’s a growing appetite for reform. Most companies surveyed by the European Commission now support the introduction of a mandatory maximum payment deadline between businesses, hoping to level the playing field and foster a more reliable commercial environment. As one panelist put it, "improving payment practices isn’t just about fairness—it’s about making sure European businesses can compete and thrive."

But payment delays aren’t the only structural challenge facing European firms in 2026. This year is widely regarded as a "structural turning point" for business, driven by the triple pressures of the climate crisis, technological disruption, and demographic shifts. Sustainability, once a buzzword for annual reports, has become the bedrock of growth and long-term survival. The EGCO Group, a leader in energy and sustainability, has identified six trends that will define the year: decarbonization, investment in clean energy and green infrastructure, digitalization and AI, smart mobility, water stewardship, and the rise of the trust economy.

Decarbonization stands out as the most urgent priority. With global carbon dioxide emissions climbing, both governments and businesses are under the gun to accelerate progress toward net zero. Google, for example, has pledged to reduce its emissions by a staggering 1 gigaton per year by 2030, underscoring the seriousness with which major players are embracing clean energy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global investments in clean energy must surge to nearly $4.5 trillion annually by 2030 to keep the world within the 1.5°C warming limit. This is a tall order, especially for developing countries, which face significant funding gaps in modernizing their energy systems.

Technology is also reshaping the sustainability equation. As the EGCO Group notes, 2026 is the year when digitalization and AI will move from pilot projects to core business strategy. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are being harnessed to streamline ESG reporting, optimize energy consumption, and enhance supply chain transparency. These tools, once experimental, are now essential for companies seeking to demonstrate real progress on sustainability.

Meanwhile, the transportation sector is undergoing its own transformation. Policies like Thailand’s EV 3.0 and EV 3.5 are accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and integrating them with clean energy systems. Water stewardship, too, is gaining traction, with companies expected to measure, reduce, and transparently report water use—not just in their own operations, but across entire supply chains. As EGCO Group emphasizes, "trust has become a vital asset that companies must manage seriously," and transparency is the new currency of sustainable growth.

Amid these sweeping changes, the European crypto market is experiencing a dramatic evolution of its own. The year 2025 was a watershed for digital assets, with Bitcoin reaching new highs and the market maturing under the weight of global regulation. The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, fully implemented at the end of 2024, entered a critical phase in 2025, setting a unified framework for 27 countries. The impact has been immediate: in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, 68 new licensed crypto institutions entered the EU market under MiCA, pushing the total to 133.

MiCA’s approach is both broad and nuanced. Licensed entities can offer up to 10 types of crypto services, including custody, trading platform operation, exchange, order execution, and investment advice. But a license isn’t a blank check—each institution’s authorization is tailored to its chosen mix of services. Giants like Revolut (licensed in Cyprus for six services), KuCoin (in Austria for five), Blockchain.com (Malta), and AMINA EU (Austria) have positioned themselves as "one-stop" platforms, while smaller players focus on niche offerings, such as custodial wallets or investment advice.

Geographically, most new licenses are concentrated in Western Europe, with Germany, France, and the Netherlands leading the pack. However, the Nordic region is emerging as a surprising contender, with Finland and Sweden ramping up activity. Eastern Europe, too, is seeing a burst of retail-oriented providers, often focused on custody, exchange, and transfer services. Notably, Liechtenstein—though not an EU member—has attracted high-end institutions seeking a neutral, low-tax environment under MiCA’s passporting regime.

The MiCA-driven licensing wave in late 2025 was largely a response to the end of the regulatory transition period, which forced crypto service providers to either comply with the new rules or exit the market. This has led to a layered industry structure: international giants, established midstream players like the Netherlands’ Bitonic BV and Spain’s Renta 4, and a host of agile newcomers, particularly smaller German banks and local upstarts. While some feared a wave of mergers and acquisitions, most giants have opted to establish subsidiaries rather than buy rivals, seeking to maintain control and minimize regulatory risk.

Yet, as the crypto market matures, caution remains the watchword. As industry observers note, "a MiCA license is not a one-size-fits-all guarantee; it’s just a starting point, not the end." Investors are urged to look beyond the license and scrutinize the actual services offered, while operators are reminded that compliance is a journey, not a destination. The success rate for MiCA applications is lower than some expected, with regulators emphasizing substance over paperwork.

In sum, 2026 finds European businesses at a crossroads, facing both daunting challenges and remarkable opportunities. Payment delays, sustainability imperatives, and regulatory overhauls are testing the mettle of companies large and small. But for those willing to adapt—by embracing transparency, investing in innovation, and navigating new rules—there’s a chance not just to survive, but to lead in a rapidly changing world.