The activity of the company mediator remained stable in 2024, at a higher level than that of Pre-Cavid, he announced on Wednesday, emphasizing that the payment terms in the defense sector are for him an upcoming key issue. The mediator, which depends on the Ministry of the Economy, processed 1,903 mediation requests last year, against 1,940 the previous year, an almost stable level since 2020, but above what it was previously.
Therefore, he carried out during the four years of the 2021-2024 period almost as many mediations as in the ten years 2010-2019. In 2024, its success rate reached 70%. Payment conditions were the first reason for the reference last year, with 41% of the processed files: “A figure that is slightly growth,” lamented the BFM business, the mediator of the companies, Pierre Pelouzet. The mediations referred to private order by 76.6%, with a 16.3% public procurement, while 7.1% do not concern contracts.
“There are increasingly strong tensions among economic actors due to the tremors that have appeared from the COVID, but many things can be resolved through dialogue,” said Pierre Blauzet, during the presentation of the press of the annual activity report.
Deadlines for delays in payments that begin
According to him, the average number of days of delay in the payments of the invoice, which stagnated a dozen since 2020 begins to increase: “The figures of delays in the payment unfortunate BFM Business.
“One day late, there are one billion euros in the funds” large companies and large administrations “instead of those of small and medium enterprises,” he said.
“Huge” cash need for defense
The defense will be a point of attention of the mediator in the coming months, with the massive effort decided in France and Europe after the evolution of the US position on the war in Ukraine. With the orders that will be “duplicated or triple”, there will be a great need for cash for small businesses in the sector, Pierre Pelouzet said.
“We are going to work with the entire ecosystem” to “ensure that payments are respected,” or even helping companies with deposits, he added. The Ministry of the Armed Forces had warned last week that it would be “particularly demanding” so that the main manufacturers “reject orders and payments” to their subcontractors. “The basis of the French industrial and technological base (ICRD) has nine large groups, such as Dassault Aviation, Tales or Airbus, but also about 4,500 smaller companies.
Source: BFM TV
