International debt collection follows the same logic as domestic collection — demand, negotiate, litigate, enforce — but requires jurisdiction-specific expertise at every step.
Where is the debtor incorporated? Where are the debtor's assets? Where was the contract signed or performed? These questions determine which court has jurisdiction and which legal framework applies.
Limitation periods vary dramatically: 3 years in Germany, Poland, Romania. 5 years in Spain. 6 years in the UK. 10 years in France, Mexico, Switzerland, Luxembourg. Once expired, the claim is unenforceable regardless of merit.
Check the commercial register in the debtor's jurisdiction (Handelsregister in Germany, Companies House in UK, Registro Mercantil in Spain). Confirm the company exists, is active, and has attachable assets.
A demand letter in the debtor's language, from a local agent, citing specific local enforcement mechanisms. This is the single most effective step in international collection.
Every major commercial jurisdiction has one: Mahnverfahren (Germany), injonction de payer (France), proceso monitorio (Spain), betalningsföreläggande (Sweden), IOS (Belgium), EPU (Poland).
For disputed claims, full court proceedings in the debtor's jurisdiction. Consider EU instruments for intra-EU claims: European Payment Order, European Small Claims Procedure, European Account Preservation Order.
Within the EU, the Brussels I Regulation provides automatic recognition and enforcement of judgments across member states. Outside the EU, enforcement depends on bilateral treaties or local recognition procedures.
Our debt recovery agency with over 21 years of experience provides: Business to Business Collections Services, Legal Debt Collections and worldwide Skip Tracing services.
