Predmetom rada su odredbe Direktive 2011/7/EU o suzbijanju zakašnjenja s plaćanjem u trgovačkim ugovorima koje se odnose na zakonske rokove ispunjenja novčanih obveza iz trgovačkih ugovora koji se imaju primijeniti u slučaju da ugovorne strane nisu ugovorom odredile rok ispunjenja novčane obveze. S obzirom na prijepore u pravnoj literaturi o tome uređuju li se Direktivom 2011/7/EU, odnosno ranijom Direktivom 2000/35/EZ, rokovi ispunjenja primarnih novčanih obveza iz trgovačkih ugovora ili ne, u radu se ponajprije daje odgovor na ovo prijeporno pitanje. Nakon utvrđenja da iz teleološke interpretacije odredaba obje direktive proizlazi da su države članice Europske unije obvezne u nacionalnom pravu urediti zakonske rokove ispunjenja primarnih novčanih obveza iz trgovačkih ugovora, u radu se pristupa analizi odredaba direktive koje se odnose na zakonske rokove ispunjenja novčanih obveza. Cilj rada je utvrditi postiže li se odredbama direktive odgovarajući stupanj zaštite vjerovnika novčanih obveza od negativnih učinaka zakašnjenja s plaćanjem. Ukazuje se na manjkavosti uređenja sadržanog u direktivi i iznose prijedlozi za adekvatnijim pravnim rješenjima de lege ferenda. Odredbe Direktive 2011/7/EU u radu se analiziraju u poredbi s odredbama ranije Direktive 2000/35/EZ te u poredbi s odredbama prijedloga uredbe Europske unije o Zajedničkom europskom pravu kupoprodaje koji je dijelom pripremljen na podlozi odredaba Direktive 2011/7/EU.This paper deals with the provisions of the Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions which regulate the statutory periods of performance of monetary obligations in commercial transactions. The latter are to be applied in case no payment period has been agreed by the parties to the contract. In light of the fact that there are disputes in the legal doctrine regarding the question whether or not the Directive 2011/7/EU, as well as the earlier Directive 2000/35/EC, regulates statutory periods of performance of primary monetary obligations in commercial transactions, the paper focuses primarily on this controversial issue. Following a conclusion that the teleological interpretation requires that provisions of both directives are interpreted in a way that EU Member States are obliged to set forth in their national laws the statutory periods of performance of primary monetary obligations in commercial transactions, the provisions of the Directive on statutory periods of performance of monetary obligations are analyzed as well. The aim of the paper is to determine whether an adequate level of creditor protection from negative effects of late payment can be achieved by the provisions of the Directive. With this in mind, the deficiencies of the existent legal regime are underlined, while providing for more satisfactory legal solutions de lege ferenda. The provisions of the Directive 2011/7/EU are examined in comparison to the provisions of the earlier Directive 2000/35/EC and in comparison to the provisions of the Proposal for a Regulation on a Common European Sales Law which were partially prepared on the basis of the provisions of the Directive 2011/7/EU
