Recovering a debt from an Italian debtor: a guide for Irish creditors
Updated to
In short: an Irish creditor with an uncontested money claim for a specific amount against an Italian debtor can use the European order for payment under Regulation 1896/2006. In Ireland the application is made to the High Court. An order that has become enforceable is enforced in Italy without a declaration of enforceability. The procedure is optional.
Part of the guide Checking an Italian company: a guide for Irish businesses. All guides: Guides.
The EU rule
- The procedure is for pecuniary claims for a specific amount that have fallen due when the application is submitted (art. 4). A cross-border case is one where at least one party is domiciled or habitually resident in a Member State other than that of the court seised (art. 3) (EU Publications Office: Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006, European order for payment).
- An order that has become enforceable in the Member State of origin is recognised and enforced in the other Member States without a declaration of enforceability and without any possibility of opposing its recognition (art. 19) (same source).
- The recitals state the procedure is an additional and optional means for the claimant, who remains free to use national procedures.
The Irish rule
- Reg. 3 of S.I. 525/2008: an application is made to and determined by the High Court; the Master of the High Court performs the functions under Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 18.
- A defendant lodges a statement of opposition with the Central Office of the High Court (Irish Statute Book: S.I. 525/2008, European Order for Payment Regulations 2008 (as made)).
These are the Regulations as made in 2008; check the current text and court forms with an Irish solicitor before filing.
If the Italian debtor is insolvent
Regulation (EU) 2015/848, art. 53: any foreign creditor may lodge claims in insolvency proceedings by any means of communication accepted by the law of the State of the opening of proceedings, and a lawyer is not mandatory for the sole purpose of lodging claims. Art. 54: known foreign creditors must be informed as soon as proceedings open (EU Publications Office: Regulation (EU) 2015/848, insolvency proceedings).
Before you file
Check the debtor first. Negatività e procedure concorsuali (€5.90) shows protests and insolvency proceedings with source and date; Istruttoria (€99) analyses the company and its links. Veryfy does not recover debts and does not give legal advice.
Every company product comes with a free Check anti-truffa (anti-scam check): it looks at the VAT number in the EU VIES register, free webmail or disposable email, domain age, domains flagged for malware or phishing, SPF and DMARC protection, the VAT number shown on the website, data breaches affecting the site, and whether the IBAN is correctly written and from a country consistent with the company.
The service and the report are in Italian, and they come from Italian official sources: company names, offices and procedures keep their original Italian wording. Veryfy does not offer a translated report, and checkout is in Italian for now.
Frequently asked questions
Which Irish court handles a European order for payment?
Under reg. 3 of S.I. 525/2008, the High Court, with the Master performing most functions. Confirm the current rules with an Irish solicitor.
Do I need an Italian court to enforce the order?
An enforceable European order for payment is enforced in other Member States without a declaration of enforceability (art. 19 of Regulation 1896/2006). Enforcement steps in Italy follow Italian procedure.
Can an Irish creditor lodge a claim in Italian insolvency proceedings?
Yes. Art. 53 of Regulation 2015/848 lets any foreign creditor lodge claims, and art. 54 requires known foreign creditors to be informed when proceedings open.
More in this cluster
- Italian supplier VAT number and VIES: a guide for Irish traders
- Irish beneficial ownership register vs the Italian titolare effettivo
- Italian company report glossary for Irish readers
Sources
Official sources opened and read on 2026-10-24.
- EU Publications Office: Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006, European order for payment
- Irish Statute Book: S.I. 525/2008, European Order for Payment Regulations 2008 (as made)
- EU Publications Office: Regulation (EU) 2015/848, insolvency proceedings
General information, not legal advice. Sources verified on 2026-10-24.
Frequently asked questions
Which Irish court handles a European order for payment?
Under reg. 3 of S.I. 525/2008, the High Court, with the Master performing most functions. Confirm the current rules with an Irish solicitor.
Do I need an Italian court to enforce the order?
An enforceable European order for payment is enforced in other Member States without a declaration of enforceability (art. 19 of Regulation 1896/2006). Enforcement steps in Italy follow Italian procedure.
Can an Irish creditor lodge a claim in Italian insolvency proceedings?
Yes. Art. 53 of Regulation 2015/848 lets any foreign creditor lodge claims, and art. 54 requires known foreign creditors to be informed when proceedings open.
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