§ StatuteRates

EU Late Payment Directive ECB Reference Benchmark

European Union  The ECB benchmark used for a Directive-minimum late-payment illustration.

Current ECB benchmark input
2.4% ECB reference input, effective July 1, 2026 — not a country rate
Directive benchmark input

Follow recorded updates to this rate (RSS)

EU Late Payment Directive ECB Reference Benchmark input at a glance

Current benchmark input
2.4% ECB reference input
Effective date
July 1, 2026
Controlling authority
See cited source
Rate basis
Directive benchmark input
Source checked
August 25, 2026
Recorded history
22 data points

Directive 2011/7/EU sets a minimum framework for interest on qualifying overdue commercial debts. This page records the ECB main refinancing rate in force on the first day of each half-year (1 January / 1 July) and shows it as a transparent benchmark. Adding eight points can illustrate the Directive's minimum framework, but it does not produce every member state's statutory rate. National implementing laws can use different reference bases or more creditor-favourable rules. Confirm the official EU country-rate table and the governing national law before relying on a figure.

→ Explore the clearly labeled EU benchmark illustration

How this value is derived. Derived: EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU) reference rate = the ECB main refinancing rate in force on the first calendar day of the half-year (2026-07-01: 2.4%). Adding 8 percentage points gives 10.4% as a Directive-minimum benchmark illustration for this period. This is not a member-state statutory rate: national implementations may use different reference bases or more creditor-favourable rules. Confirm the official country table. Reference, not legal advice.

Effective-date history

22 data points on record. All recorded observations are in the JSON API.
Effective dateRateBasis
July 1, 2026 2.4% Formula
January 1, 2026 2.15% Formula
July 1, 2025 2.15% Formula
January 1, 2025 3.15% Formula
July 1, 2024 4.25% Formula
January 1, 2024 4.5% Formula
July 1, 2023 4% Formula
January 1, 2023 2.5% Formula
July 1, 2022 0% Formula
January 1, 2022 0% Formula
July 1, 2021 0% Formula
January 1, 2021 0% Formula
July 1, 2020 0% Formula
January 1, 2020 0% Formula
July 1, 2019 0% Formula
January 1, 2019 0% Formula
July 1, 2018 0% Formula
January 1, 2018 0% Formula
July 1, 2017 0% Formula
January 1, 2017 0% Formula
July 1, 2016 0% Formula
January 1, 2016 0.05% Formula

Source & provenance

Observation recorded August 25, 2026 (02:50 UTC) from the cited source (European Central Bank):
https://data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/data/FM/B.U2.EUR.4F.KR.MRR_FR.LEV?format=csvdata&startPeriod=2015-01-01

Cite this page

StatuteRates. “EU Late Payment Directive ECB Reference Benchmark.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/rates/eu-late-payment-reference/ ECB reference input recorded for the Directive minimum-benchmark illustration; not a member-state statutory rate.

Reference data only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Always confirm the controlling value against the controlling official source and, where applicable, the governing statute or court before relying on it.