Slovak companies trade with Czechia every day, and unpaid invoices arise there every day too. The mistake is to spend a long time chasing a cross-border debt yourself and then write it off as “unrecoverable”. A reminder or demand does not stop the limitation period from running. For sales of goods between Czech and Slovak companies, a four-year period applies under the Convention on the Limitation Period in the International Sale of Goods, unless the parties have expressly excluded it.
Step 1: A demand that cannot be ignored
A letter before action from a lawyer registered with the Czech Bar Association carries more weight than a tenth reminder from accounts. It shows the debtor that you are serious, understand the Czech environment and will go to court next. In Czechia, if no demand is sent at least 7 days before the claim is filed, the court will generally not award costs of proceedings even to a successful claimant (Section 142a of Act No. 99/1963 Coll.).
Step 2: A Czech payment order
If the demand fails, the next step is an application for a payment order before a Czech court. For undisputed claims supported by an invoice, delivery note and order, this is an effective route to an enforceable title, without a hearing if the debtor does not file an objection within 15 days of service.
Step 3: Enforcement
Once the title is enforceable, an enforcement officer takes over. Enforcement proceedings in Czechia have their own rules. Knowing them helps select a process that actually leads to recovery.
Why one firm instead of two
A common scenario is a Slovak creditor whose Slovak lawyer hires a Czech firm for the Czech proceedings. The result is duplicated communication, duplicated billing and lost information. Our lawyer is registered with both bar associations, so we represent you ourselves throughout the process, from demand to enforcement. It also works in reverse, for Czech creditors with Slovak debtors.
For suitable claims, we can link part of our fee to successful recovery. As with everything we do, the terms are agreed in advance.
This article provides general legal information as at 26 September 2026. It does not constitute legal services or advice on your specific matter. Laws change and the details of your situation may differ. Check the appropriate course of action or contact us before making a decision.
