Why EU businesses can’t ignore e‑Invoicing anymore
By Ioana Ploesteanu
Senior Product Marketing Manager
Tradeshift
About the Author
As part of the Product team, Ioana Ploesteanu partners with marketing and engineering to craft the positioning and lead user engagement strategies for e-Invoicing compliance and AI-driven capabilities.
How ViDA is reshaping European invoicing compliance under the hood
All signs point to one message: e‑invoicing is inevitable. The EU’s ViDA directive mandates that digital invoicing becomes the default across the bloc. Countries are already phasing in national mandates (France, Belgium, Poland, Romania, Germany, Spain), and from 1 July 2030, intra‑EU B2B transactions must use structured e‑invoices.
Digital transformation isn’t just for innovators anymore, it’s a compliance reality for every company. Opting for a capable platform ensures you’re compliant and transforming finance operations for the entire EU footprint.
👉 Follow the Tradeshift Compliance Blog to stay up to date with the latest e-invoicing compliance news. We publish a new article every week.
What does ViDA mean for your business in the EU?
ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age), formally adopted on 11 March 2025, is the EU’s rewrite of VAT compliance rules for the digital age.
Key shifts for businesses operating in the EU:
- From April 2025, member states can make structured e‑invoicing mandatory domestically without seeking EU approval.
- By 1 July 2030, all intra‑EU B2B/B2G invoices must be issued electronically in a standardized format, and reporting will be near real‑time.
- By 1 January 2035, even existing national e‑invoicing systems must align fully with EU standards.
ViDA also overhauls taxation for platforms (e.g. short‑term rentals, transport), expands the One‑Stop‑Shop (OSS), and simplifies reverse‑charge obligations, but digital invoicing is the biggest immediate impact for finance teams.
✨ Join our webinar on September 18th where we will walk you through 7 crucial things to know about Peppol, and what it means for your compliance and e-invoicing journey.
How are EU countries progressing with e‑invoicing mandates?
Here’s how local timelines are stacking up their B2B e-invoicing and clearance mandates:
Romania: Romania is already live with digital reporting as of July 2024. B2B e‑invoices are mandatory using the national e‑Factura system. A 2025 study by Profluo, cited in Business Review, found that 82% of Romanian companies adopted automation tools to manage e-invoicing. These companies are already seeing results: invoice error rates dropped by 36%, and clearance times improved by 31%.
Germany: Similar to Romania, Germany has already in place its e-invoicing mandate. Since January 1, 2025, all domestic businesses must be able to receive e-invoices. E-invoices must adhere to the European standards outlined in Directive 2014/55/EU, even if using national formats. Formats like Factur-X or Peppol-BIS Billing are also valid for domestic B2B transactions.
France: Large and mid-sized firms must issue and accept structured e‑invoices from September 2026, with SMEs following by September 2027. To comply with the mandate all businesses in France need to use a registered PDP, such as Tradeshift. Formats include UBL, CII, or Factur‑X. Data reporting is equally phased in.
Belgium: From 1 January 2026, all Belgian VAT-registered businesses must issue and receive structured e‑invoices (EN 16931 format) via PEPPOL BIS. The easiest way to comply with the mandate is to use an e-Invoicing platform which is a Peppol Certified Access Point.
Poland: Poland’s KSeF platform has been optional for B2B since early 2022, but a phased rollout of mandatory use starts February 2026 for large businesses and April 2026 for everyone else, with penalty-free adaptation until year-end. Similar to Belgium, Poland will support Peppol alongside KSeF for select transactions, enabling smoother cross-border and B2G workflows within the EU framework.
Spain: The B2B e-invoicing clearance mandate in Spain will roll out in 2027 for large businesses and 2028 for all others, requiring structured formats like Facturae (XML), UBL, and CII to standardize transactions. While VeriFactu focuses on real-time reporting, the B2B clearance mandate ensures broader e-invoicing adoption across businesses.
✨ As e-Invoicing mandates and Continuous Transaction Controls (CTC) become the global standard, the only practical way for most businesses to navigate the complexity of this global trend is to partner with a technology provider specializing in e-invoicing compliance.
What to look for in an e‑invoicing compliance platform
If you’re managing an e‑invoicing project, whether you’re a Project Manager, Tax Leader, Financial consultant or IT specialist, choosing the right B2B e-Invoicing platform will be one of the most important parts of your e-Invoicing compliance project.
Essential capabilities to have on your decision list:
✔️ Full multi-country compliance, including formats like EN 16931, UBL, CII, Factur‑X, Peppol BIS, RO e‑Factura, KSeF, VeriFactu.
✔️ Real-time tracking and dashboards for statuses, errors, rejections, and audits.
✔️ ERP & systems integration to avoid manual invoicing or VAT handling.
✔️ Certified Peppol Access Point and national platform connectivity.
✔️ Standardized data formats, auto validation, and error prevention.
✔️ Scalable architecture for future ViDA requirements or country-specific updates.
✔️ Reporting automation for authorities and quarters, aligned with the new Digital Reporting Requirements (DRR) format.
Is Tradeshift the right e-Invoicing compliance platform for your project?
Consider adding Tradeshift to your shortlist if:
Your organization runs complex, multi-country operations. Tradeshift is built for exactly that, offering broad ViDA compliance coverage, deep ERP integration, and centralized reporting. It’s ideal for businesses managing high invoice volumes, multiple formats, and evolving mandates across the EU.
If you’re not in that category but made it this far—don’t worry, there’s still a fit for you:
For smaller-scale projects, especially those focused on Peppol-based compliance in countries like Belgium, a more streamlined solution like Babelway might be the better choice. Babelway is part of Tradeshift and offers a cost-effective, efficient way to stay compliant without overengineering your setup.
You may also be interested in
Poland’s e‑Invoicing mandate: Countdown to February 2026
Starting February 1, 2026, Poland will enforce their e-Invoicing compliance mandate and require large taxpayers to issue electronic invoices through its National Electronic Invoice System (KSeF). All other VAT-registered businesses must follow by April 1, 2026. This shift is part of Poland’s broader digital tax strategy, and it’s no longer optional. The government has finalized the technical standards and confirmed Peppol will complement KSeF for smoother EU interoperability.
Belgium’s 2026 E-Invoicing Mandate: How to Get Ready with Peppol and Tradeshift
On July 8, 2025, FPS Finance issued a Royal Decree regarding the rollout of structured electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) in Belgium, which states that from 1 January 2026, Belgium will embark on a transformative shift in the way businesses handle invoicing. VAT-registered enterprises will no longer be allowed to rely on PDFs sent by e-mail or unstructured methods. Instead, structured electronic invoicing via Peppol becomes mandatory for all B2B transactions.
France’s E-Invoicing Countdown: What You Need to Know and Why Tradeshift Stands Out
With almost a year to go until France’s electronic invoicing mandate becomes a reality, the momentum is building fast. Guidelines are being fine-tuned, technical standards are evolving, and businesses across the country are starting to take action. If you haven’t yet chosen your Private Dematerialization Platform (PDP) or started preparing for the transition, now is the time. A lot has happened over the past few weeks, and understanding where things stand can help you make a well-informed and future-ready decision.
Spain’s E-Invoicing Mandate Explained: Key Dates, Requirements, and How to Prepare
Spain is on the path to mandating B2B e-Invoicing to align with the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) initiative, as well as with other European countries that have already implemented, or are in the process of implementing, e-Invoicing systems, such as France, Germany, Romania and Belgium. These changes, which include mandatory electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) for B2B transactions, are designed to improve tax compliance, minimize fraud, and drive digitalization. The journey toward full implementation has encountered delays, leading to revised timelines that businesses must navigate in the following years.