Payment of the invoice and approval of documents does not imply recognition of the regularity, authenticity, completeness and correctness of the declarations and information they contain. 

Payment of the balance may take the form of recovery. 

## II.21.7. Suspension of the time allowed for payment 

The contracting authority may suspend the payment periods specified in Article I.5 at any time by notifying  the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) that its invoice cannot be processed. The reasons the contracting authority may cite for not being able to process an invoice are: 

(a) because it does not comply with the contract; 

(b) because the contractor has not produced the appropriate documents or deliverables; or 

(c) because the contracting authority has observations on the documents or deliverables submitted with the invoice. 

The contracting authority must notify  the contractor (or leader in the case of joint tender) as soon as possible of any such suspension, giving the reasons for it. In cases b) and c) referred above, the contracting authority shall notify the contractor (or leader in case of a joint tender) the time limits to submit additional information or corrections or a new version of the documents or deliverables if the contracting authority requires it. 

Suspension takes effect on the date the contracting authority sends the notification . The remaining payment period resumes from the date on which the requested information or revised documents are received or the necessary further verification, including on-the-spot checks, is carried out. Where the suspension period exceeds two months, the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) may request the contracting authority to justify the continued suspension. 

Where the payment periods have been suspended following rejection of a document referred to in the first paragraph of this Article and the new document produced is also rejected, the contracting authority reserves the right to terminate the contract in accordance with Article II.18.1(c) . 

## II.21.8. Interest on late payment 

On expiry of the payment periods specified in Article I.5, the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) is entitled to interest on late payment at the rate applied by the European Central Bank for its main refinancing operations in euros (the reference rate) plus eight points. The reference rate is the rate in force, as published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union,  on the first day of the month in which the payment period ends. 

Suspension of the payment period as provided for in Article II.21.7 is not considered as giving rise to late payment. 

Interest on late payment covers the period running from the day following the due date for payment up to and including the date of payment as defined in Article II.21.1. 

However, when the calculated interest is EUR 200 or less, it must be paid to the contractor (or leader in the case of a joint tender) only if it requests it within two months of receiving late payment. 

