ViDA and the Future of EU e-Invoicing: What Global Companies Need to Know

The VAT in the Digital Age initiative is the most significant change to European tax rules in decades. By 2030, the EU will move to a unified system for real-time digital reporting and mandatory e-invoicing for cross-border trade. 

However, the immediate challenge for global companies is managing the wave of national mandates launching right now in 2026. From France and Germany to Poland and Belgium, businesses are facing a fragmented landscape of technical requirements. Tradeshift provides a single global platform that simplifies this complexity and uses AI to turn compliance into a competitive advantage for finance teams.

👉 Why EU businesses can’t ignore e‑Invoicing anymore?

ViDA: What it is and how it impacts businesses in the EU

ViDA is a plan by the European Commission to modernize VAT and stop tax fraud by making digital reporting part of every transaction. Its goal is to give tax authorities instant access to data while making it easier for businesses to trade across borders over time.

The reform rests on three main pillars. 

• First pillar: it introduces digital reporting requirements for all intra-EU business. This means data will be sent to tax authorities in near real-time. 
• Second pillar: electronic invoicing will become the default for all cross-border transactions. 
• Third pillar: it simplifies VAT registration so that many companies can manage their EU obligations through a single registration instead of filing in every country where they hold stock.

For your business, this means VAT is no longer a task for the end of the month. Invoicing and tax reporting are merging into one process. Because data is checked instantly, errors can stop a transaction in its tracks. Accuracy is now the most important part of your supply chain.

👉 For the latest e-invoicing compliance updates, be sure to follow the Tradeshift Compliance Blog. We publish a new article every week.

What are the mandates in each EU country and their status

Even though ViDA creates a common path, countries are moving at different speeds with their own domestic rules. This creates a difficult situation for companies that operate in multiple regions.

• Poland launched its mandatory KSeF system for large companies this February 2026. It uses a very specific national format that requires strict technical alignment.
• Belgium now requires B2B e-invoicing for all taxpayers as of January 2026 using the Peppol network.
• France is preparing for its September 2026 launch where mid-sized and large companies must issue electronic invoices and report data through certified platforms.
• Germany is currently rolling out its own B2B mandate with a focus on structured formats like ZUGFeRD and Factur-X.
• Romania continues to enforce one of the strictest clearance models in Europe with its RO e-Factura system.
• Spain is finalizing its own B2B requirements to ensure its domestic systems align with the broader ViDA timeline.

ViDA does not cancel these local rules. Instead, it acts as a bridge between them. For a global company, the goal is to find a way to meet all these different requirements without building a new solution for every country.

Why choose Tradeshift as your global e-Invoicing provider

The shift toward ViDA shows that e-invoicing is a global challenge that needs a global solution. Tradeshift was built specifically for companies that operate across many different countries and tax systems.

Tradeshift supports every major compliance model including clearance, post-audit, and Peppol, and it’s a Certified Peppol Access Point since 2014. Instead of managing a different vendor for every country, you can use one platform that scales with you. We handle the constant updates to local formats and tax authority connections so your internal teams can focus on their actual work.

Because ViDA is a multi-year transition, you need a partner that evolves. Tradeshift continuously updates its compliance logic to match new laws. Beyond just following the law, our platform uses AI to automate invoice processing and coding. This ensures that your finance department becomes more efficient even as tax rules become more complex.

Ready for the next phase of digital tax

ViDA is changing the rules of the game in Europe. While national mandates define the technical details today, your choice of platform determines how easy it will be to grow tomorrow.

Tradeshift is a flexible global e-invoicing compliance platform available in 27 languages. We support companies across Europe and the rest of the world by combining regulatory expertise with advanced AI capabilities. This makes Tradeshift the first choice for finance departments that want to turn compliance into a strategic advantage.

Choose Tradeshift as your global e-invoicing compliance partner and stay ahead of ViDA and every mandate that follows.