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VON ZANTHIER & DACHOWSKI
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Successes Efficient Debt Collection in Practice. When Court Enforcement Simply Works

Debt Collection in Poland – Is It Really So Complicated?

Debt collection still tends to trigger more concerns than necessary. Many business owners fear that even after obtaining a favourable court judgment, recovering the money will take months – sometimes years – or may ultimately prove impossible.

However, our daily legal practice shows a different reality. Court enforcement proceedings in Poland increasingly function efficiently and without unnecessary complications. Naturally, much depends on the debtor’s financial situation, but the system itself often works faster than expected.

One of our recent cases from early 2026 illustrates this perfectly.

From Enforcement Application to Payment Within One Week

A client approached us holding a European Payment Order issued by a German court. The debtor was conducting business activities in Poland.

After reviewing and completing the necessary documentation, we filed an application to initiate court enforcement proceedings in Poland and paid the required advance on enforcement costs.

And that was essentially it.

No multi-stage actions. No extraordinary measures.

Within one week, the full amount of the claim was successfully enforced. The enforcement proceedings were formally concluded, the client recovered the funds, and the matter was closed.

This was not a spectacular legal victory. It was simply an effective cross-border debt collection in practice.

Efficient Enforcement Is Becoming the Standard

We do not describe this case because it was legally extraordinary. On the contrary, its course demonstrates that effective debt collection in Poland does not have to be exceptional.

More and more frequently, we observe that:

  • payment proceedings result in judgments or payment orders issued relatively quickly,
  • court bailiffs initiate enforcement measures without delay,
  • creditors receive payment within a reasonable timeframe.

Properly conducted enforcement of claims, especially when based on a final court decision or European Payment Order, can be straightforward and efficient.

2026 – A Year of Efficient Debt Collection?

The beginning of 2026 confirms our impression that judicial debt collection and court enforcement in Poland operate more effectively today than a few years ago.

In many matters handled by our law firm:

  • proceedings initiated in 2025 have already been concluded,
  • several cases have resulted in full recovery of the outstanding claims.

We cannot say how much credit belongs to our team (although we hope quite a bit) and how much is due to the improved efficiency of courts and enforcement authorities. One thing, however, is certain: the real success is not the enforcement procedure itself, but the fact that clients can finally focus on growing their business instead of pursuing unpaid receivables.

And that is precisely the standard of debt collection we strive for every day.

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