Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Uruguay are among the countries implementing or planning to implement mandatory e-invoicing mandates in the coming years. These mandates aim to streamline and digitize the invoicing process, reducing administrative burdens and improving tax compliance.
In Belgium, more details are gradually being released about the e-invoicing mandate. The mandate will apply to B2B transactions between Belgian VAT registered taxpayers, with exceptions. The default standard for exchanging structured electronic invoices will be Peppol, unless agreed differently by both parties. The implementation date is set for January 1, 2026, with no phased implementation. The draft legislation has already been approved by the Council of Ministers, and it is expected to be approved and published soon, pending a derogation from the European Commission.
Estonia is also implementing a B2B e-invoice mandate in accordance with the European e-invoicing standard.
In France, the Finance bill of 2024 has been adopted, settling the mandate timeline for e-invoicing. The implementation will occur in two phases. From September 1, 2026, there will be an obligation to receive e-invoices for all companies, and an obligation to issue e-invoices for large companies and mid-caps. From September 1, 2027, there will be an obligation to issue e-invoices for SMEs and micro-enterprises. Deadlines may be delayed by one quarter if necessary. The French tax authorities have published the “external specifications” in English, providing guidance for compliance.
Germany is planning to implement an e-invoicing mandate starting from January 1, 2026, with a voluntary phase starting from January 1, 2025. However, the German Bundesrat has called for a 2-year e-invoicing delay.
In Greece, the myDATA e-book reporting mandate is set to be implemented from January 2024.
Italy will make e-invoicing mandatory for all taxpayers from January 1, 2024.
Kenya’s tax authority, KRA, has set a deadline of January 1, 2024, for businesses to generate electronic invoices via eTIMS.
Latvia is planning to introduce mandatory e-invoicing from 2025.
Portugal is also planning to implement an e-invoicing mandate.
Romania has published a guide on the use of the national electronic invoicing system, RO e-Invoice, providing information in English.
Uruguay has extended the deadlines for VAT e-invoicing in a new resolution.
These e-invoicing mandates will give authorities the ability to verify the correctness of data and reconcile it with other reported information for accounting, direct tax, indirect tax, VAT, Intrastat, Customs, Environmental and Employment Tax, among others. This will enhance tax compliance and improve the accuracy of financial reporting.
It is important for businesses operating in these countries to stay informed about these e-invoicing mandates and ensure compliance to avoid penalties and disruptions to their operations. Implementing e-invoicing solutions and working with service providers can help businesses simplify the transition and ensure smooth compliance with the new requirements.
