Webinar Recap | 5 Takeaways for Navigating Europe’s E-Invoicing Requirements
With e-invoicing requirements accelerating across Europe, AP teams face evolving models, new formats, and tight timelines. In our recent webinar with industry experts, Ellen Cortvriend (PwC) and Charles Bryant (EESPA), we dove into the e-invoicing landscape, explored how ViDA will reshape reporting, and discussed why decentralized exchange is becoming the preferred path.
Here are 5 key takeaways from the webinar:
#1: It’s a “Tsunami of change,” and you can’t afford to wait.
Regulatory change is moving faster than ever, with more than 80 countries already imposing e-invoicing mandates and 70 more following suit. Europe is leading the charge, with the spotlight now on immediate deadlines: Belgium (Jan 2026), Poland (Feb/Apr 2026), and France (Sep 2026) all have firm dates that require immediate action to meet new e-invoicing requirements.
Ellen Cortvriend from PwC warned, making the panel’s message clear: “Start early. Don’t expect a delay to happen.”
#2: ViDA sets the long-term direction.
While businesses must first focus on country-level mandates, the EU’s VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) initiative defines the long-term blueprint. ViDA aims to harmonize and modernize VAT rules across member states, reduce the VAT gap, and simplify compliance.
Key milestones include the mandatory use of e-invoices for all intra-EU B2B transactions from July 1, 2030, and the requirement for countries with existing domestic digital reporting systems to converge with the EU model by January 1, 2035. All e-invoices will need to comply with EN 16931.
For AP leaders, this means that technology choices made today should not only cover immediate compliance but also align with these standardized, EU-wide e-invoicing requirements to avoid costly rework in the years to come.
“It definitely makes sense to have a view on the longer-term vision, as ViDA is defining and leading the way for what e-invoicing will look like in the future.” – Ellen Cortvriend, PwC
#3: Decentralized models are the future of e-invoicing.
Countries are adopting different models for how invoices flow between sellers, buyers, and tax authorities. While there are numerous variations, they generally fall into three main network types:
E-invoicing models explained
| Model | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Centralized exchange | The seller must submit the invoice to a single government platform for real-time validation or clearance. The government acts as the intermediary, delivering the approved invoice to the buyer. | Poland (KSeF), Italy (SdI). |
| Decentralized exchange | Each party connects to their own certified service provider (Access Point). The providers exchange the invoice over a common network (like PEPPOL). The government is not directly involved in the transaction flow. | PEPPOL network (e.g., in Germany and Belgium currently). |
| Decentralized continuous transaction controls (CTC) | It builds on the 4-Corner model but requires the service provider to report a subset of data to the tax authority (the 5th corner) in near real-time before the invoice is delivered. | France (PA (formerly PDP)) |
The consensus among experts was that decentralized models are more resilient and scalable. They avoid the risks of centralized government systems becoming bottlenecks or single points of failure, while still providing tax authorities with the necessary data.
That said, companies must still adapt to the specific standard adopted by each country they operate in. The advice is clear: find a solution that enables you to connect to all mandated networks. Ideally, choose one provider that can handle all of them to avoid the added complexity of switching between different systems.
“I’m a passionate believer in the decentralized model. If you ever come away from this thing with one word in your head, it should be decentralized.” – Charles Bryant (EESPA)
#4: E-Invoicing is not a “tax problem”— it’s a business problem.
Meeting e-invoicing requirements is not limited to the tax department; it touches multiple teams and stakeholders in your business. The panel highlighted that the real challenge lies in cross-team coordination and data quality, and advised companies to think beyond local fixes.
“So this should not be just a problem for the tax person for the finance department. Basically with invoicing mandates everyone will be affected somehow.” – Ellen Cortvriend,PwC
Here are a few practical tips shared during the discussion:
- Start early: Preparation is lengthy and delays are risky, so give yourself time to adjust systems and processes.
- Engage stakeholders broadly: Finance, tax, IT, and procurement must work together to avoid silos.
- Clean your data: Reliable master data (tax IDs and bank accounts) is critical for compliance, and many companies underestimate the scale of the data work involved.
- Shift from local fixes to a regional strategy: Avoid a country-by-country patchwork; use global processes and technology that can adapt to each mandate.
#5: New hybrid reality requires a unified platform.
Even as e-invoicing becomes mandatory, legacy formats will not disappear overnight. Companies will continue to receive a mix of PDFs, scans, and structured XML invoices. Managing this hybrid environment and keeping up with evolving e-invoicing requirements requires a unified workflow that can capture, validate, and process all formats consistently.
Rossum’s approach is to provide a single platform for end-to-end processing of all invoice types, whether it’s PDF or structured XML. Invoices are captured from any channel, automatically validated against master data, checked for duplicates, coded, and then matched to POs or goods receipts. Exceptions are flagged with clear error messages, while valid invoices are processed straight through. This ensures that clean and processed data enters your ERP and compliance requirements are met without fragmenting your AP process.
Ready to turn compliance into capability?
Mandatory e-invoicing is not just another compliance burden — it is also a chance to future-proof your AP process, eliminate manual work, and strengthen controls. But don’t procrastinate. See exactly how Rossum tackles the end-to-end e-invoicing workflow by booking a free demo today.
Check out our extended Q&A below, where we answer follow-up questions from the webinar participants on PEPPOL, ERP integration, and country-specific deadlines.
Webinar Q&A answered
Foundational concepts & standards
What is PEPPOL?
PEPPOL is a global framework of standards, specifications, and a network that enables the secure, cross-border electronic exchange of business documents. As a secure network, PEPPOL connects many existing platforms, allowing companies to exchange documents with any other business or public entity registered on the network. This “connect once, reach all” model simplifies trade by ensuring that all parties use the same standardized rules and formats. To participate, companies connect through a certified PEPPOL Access Point, which acts as the gateway for sending and receiving documents. Originally launched to streamline procurement between European governments, PEPPOL has now grown into a global standard for e-document exchange.
When you speak about e-invoicing, does it exclusively mean invoices through the PEPPOL flow, or are there other models?
E-invoicing simply means exchanging invoices in a structured, machine-readable format. PEPPOL is one of the most widely adopted models, especially in Europe, but it’s not the only one. Other models include centralized government portals (like Poland or Italy) and systems that add real-time reporting (e.g., France). Each country selects its own approach, and we explained the differences in the main article above.
How do e-invoicing mandates relate to existing EDI formats like X12 (US) or Tradacoms (UK), and how will those platforms be affected?
Existing EDI networks and formats are not necessarily excluded, but mandates increasingly require invoices to conform to the EN 16931 European standard. This means EDI invoices may need to be mapped or transformed into an EN 16931–compliant format to be recognized as valid e-invoices. For example, Belgium allows continued use of EDI if invoices can be converted into EN 16931. The UK government has also noted this in its ongoing consultation, with a likely requirement that domestic and cross-border invoices adhere to interoperable, standardized formats.
Rossum’s e-invoicing capabilities
Is Rossum a certified PEPPOL access point? Does it plan to directly support the various e-invoicing models?
Yes. Rossum is a certified PEPPOL access point, and our platform is built to handle a variety of e-invoicing models. Our core value is to manage this complexity for you by providing a single, unified solution that can work with different standards and local networks such as KSeF in Poland and PA in France, so you don’t need to manage multiple, disconnected systems.
Is Rossum a document-agnostic tool, or is it only focused on invoices?
While Rossum specializes in transactional documents like invoices, purchase orders, and packing lists, our platform is document-agnostic. Our AI is built to understand and process a wide variety of structured and unstructured documents across different industries and departments.
Can Rossum also send invoices, or does it only receive them? Does it support e-invoicing for Accounts Receivable (AR) invoices?
Currently, Rossum’s solution focuses on supporting Accounts Payable (AP) processes. And our core added value is in the end-to-end processing. Receiving the invoice is only the beginning; our platform then reads, validates, and processes e-invoices (alongside other invoice types).
How does Rossum’s integration guarantee data integrity and prevent document loss? How can we audit this process?
Received e-invoices are stored unmodified. Rossum maintains integrity of the data at rest. The company is ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 compliant and passed SOC II type audit.
Can emails with XML invoices be processed to Rossum in a separate queue? Is this also the best practice? If emails contain both an XML and a PDF attachment or a ZUGFeRD invoice, which document will be processed? Do you use the received PDF or a generated PDF to store for record-keeping?
Rossum offers flexibility to match your workflow preferences. While you can create separate queues for different document types, the best practice is a unified queue, as senders often do not differentiate between formats. For formats that combine XML and a PDF, such as ZUGFeRD, we prioritize processing the data from the XML layer as it is the mandated requirement, while retaining the PDF for visual validation and audit purposes. For record-keeping, you can choose to store the original file, the extracted data, or a human-readable PDF that we generate from the XML.
Strategic implementation & ERP integration
How will Rossum deal with accurate data capture against a purchase order (PO) and goods received?
Rossum’s solution is designed to handle this seamlessly. Our platform supports automated three-way matching against purchase orders and goods received, even at the line-item level. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and ensures that the invoice aligns with your internal procurement records.
For PO data, does the data flow from the ERP system to Rossum, or is the PO set up in Rossum first and then the data flows to the ERP?
Rossum pulls PO and goods received data from your ERP to perform automated matching and validation. Once the invoice is fully validated in Rossum, the data is then pushed back to your ERP for posting. This ensures that the single source of truth for all transactional data remains in your core system.
What are Rossum’s integrations and APIs, and which ERP systems do you support, such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft GP, or Microsoft 365 BC?
Rossum offers robust, pre-built integrations with major ERP systems, including SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Coupa, and Workday. We also have a flexible API that allows for seamless, customized integrations with any other system (including Microsoft GP and Microsoft 365 BC).
Strategic & implementation challenges
Why are existing ERPs often not sufficient to handle this?
As our expert Charles noted, most ERPs were not built for this new, fragmented environment. A common challenge is that ERPs often require costly, time-consuming updates and custom integrations for each new country’s unique regulations. This forces companies into a “local-to-local” approach that is neither scalable nor efficient. Rossum is designed to sit alongside your ERP, handling all the complexity of ingestion, validation, and transformation so your core systems remain streamlined and future-proof.
Are we going to need specific e-invoicing companies for each country to deal with all the different regulations?
This is a core challenge that Rossum is built to solve. Instead of managing a patchwork of vendors and solutions for each country, Rossum provides a single, unified platform that can handle multiple formats and regulations from different jurisdictions. Our approach significantly reduces complexity, cost, and the burden of compliance as you expand into new territories or as the e-invoicing requirements spread.
What advice would you give to a company facing a lack of clarity from their ERP provider regarding support for new regulations in countries like Belgium and Poland?
This is a common issue. The best advice is to take control of your e-invoicing strategy and not wait for your ERP provider to release updates. By implementing a solution like Rossum, you can offload the compliance burden to a specialized platform that is designed to stay ahead of regulatory changes. This allows your team to prepare for the new mandates without being held back by your ERP’s timeline.
You mentioned that cross-border transactions and different ERP setups look like more challenges on the way. Can you elaborate on this?
The e-invoicing requirements currently implemented cover domestic B2B transactions. The larger challenge arises when a company has to manage compliance for its different entities, all of which must adhere to their own country’s standards and rules. This is compounded by varying ERP systems and data formats, which is why a unified platform is critical. It provides a single point of entry and validation that can manage these diverse rules, ensuring your documents are compliant regardless of the countries involved.
Deadlines & country-specific rules
What are the compliance dates for the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Belgium?
Belgium: Mandatory B2B e-invoicing begins on January 1, 2026.
Germany: From January 1, 2025, all German companies must be able to receive structured e-invoices in the EN 16931 format. The obligation to issue e-invoices will phase in between 2027 and 2028, depending on company size and turnover.
France: The obligation to receive e-invoices is mandatory for all businesses from September 2026. Issuing e-invoices is phased by company size. Large and medium-sized companies will be required to issue e-invoices starting in September 2026.
UK: The UK government has not yet announced a mandatory e-invoicing start date. A public consultation has concluded, and an announcement is expected in the autumn of 2025.
Netherlands: Mandatory B2G (Business-to-Government) e-invoicing has been in place since 2017. While there is no official timeline for a B2B mandate, the country strongly encourages the use of PEPPOL for B2B transactions.
Read our recent article for a detailed breakdown of the upcoming deadlines.
Is there a grace period for Belgium after Jan 1, 2026?
No. The Belgian authorities have confirmed that the B2B e-invoicing mandate will start on January 1, 2026, without a formal grace period. While enforcement measures (e.g., penalties) may evolve in practice, companies should plan to be fully compliant by the start date.
Isn’t the mandate in Latvia now pushed back to 2028?
Yes, the deadline for Latvia was recently pushed back to 2028. This is an example of how quickly mandates can change and why a flexible, agile solution is essential.