A word from the CEO: An era of cautious optimism

The European business landscape looks very different today than it did at the time of our last edition of the European Payment Report, when the crisis was still in its relatively early days. In that time, some firms have failed, many have struggled, and some have pivoted through digitalization and robust credit management practices - and are flourishing.

For this year's research, we surveyed more than 11,000 respondents across 29 countries to understand their payment behaviour, the financial health of their company and the economic outlook in their country of operation. We also carried out in-depth discussions with senior executives from key European businesses to gain deeper insight into the realities on the ground.

Our findings paint a mixed picture of the European economy. The crisis has had a profound impact on operations, but many have seized the opportunity to think differently and are looking to the future with optimism. 45 per cent say they are more enthusiastic about growth than they have been for a long time. Many are planning bold strategic initiatives.