France’s E-Invoicing Countdown: What You Need to Know and Why Tradeshift Stands Out

As the French e-invoicing reform approaches, staying informed is key. Here’s what’s happening now and why choosing the right PDP could make all the difference.

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.

Let’s take a closer look at the latest updates from the French tax authority (DGFiP), recent developments from AFNOR, and what these mean for your business.

👉 Watch our June virtual round table where our panel of experts answers all the questions about France’s e-invoicing mandate.

Where things stand: DGFiP updates as of July 2025

As of mid-July, the DGFiP has provisionally registered 101 PDPs. While that might sound like a wide pool to choose from, only around half of these platforms are actually live and connected to the national Directory.

Tradeshift is one of the few that has already completed testing and moved into full production. Our connection to the Directory has been active since June 12, 2025, which puts us in a leading group of just 49 platforms currently operating at this level.

We’ve also completed voluntary interoperability testing, a process that fewer than one-third of provisionally registered PDPs have even attempted. This shows our commitment to transparency, openness, and seamless integration with the wider e-invoicing ecosystem.

To formalize the relationship between a business and its selected PDP, DGFiP has now released an official opt-in form. This consent form confirms your PDP of choice and gives them the green light to update the Directory on your behalf. It is required alongside the contract with your provider.

Importantly, this decision is yours alone. No service provider or intermediary can make it for you. And if your needs change, switching PDPs later will be possible.

A standardized compliance audit is also on the horizon. A guide is being developed in collaboration with consulting firms to ensure that all PDPs are assessed consistently, while still considering their technical specificities.

👉 Tradeshift has been a registered PDP since August 19th 2024. Request a demo to see our platform in action.

AFNOR’s technical framework: Where things are going

AFNOR, the body responsible for defining the technical standards of the e-invoicing reform, held its latest plenary session on July 16 2025. Several important updates were shared around the evolving framework:

• The XP Z12-012 standard, which focuses on invoice message formats and lifecycle statuses, is being revised. A new version is expected in October with technical improvements and more practical examples to help businesses adapt.

• The XP Z12-013 standard defines how company systems will connect to PDPs via APIs. An update due in September will include improvements around digital traceability, webhooks, and permission management.

• The XP Z12-014 standard, which focuses on sector-specific use cases, was published in June. It will be updated in August to include more real-world examples and scenarios.

In parallel, DGFiP has officially become the PEPPOL Authority for France. This shift aligns the country with a model that’s already working across Europe and will support interoperability between PDPs more effectively. 

On the public sector side, Chorus Pro will remain the reference platform for B2G transactions. It will also play a central role in issuing invoices to businesses subject to VAT, further anchoring its place in the new ecosystem.

👉 Tradeshift has been a Certified Peppol Access Point since 2014, and has extensive experience with Chorus Pro, as well as other European Governmental platforms. Learn more about it from our experts.

The clock is ticking: What should you be doing now?

The question of whether the reform might be delayed has faded. Preparations are moving forward, and national authorities have confirmed that implementation is on track.

No matter your size or industry, the reform will impact your invoicing processes, and the sooner you act, the smoother the transition will be.

Many companies, such as Tradeshift’s pilot client Air France,  that have already started adapting to the new model have shared their feedback. 

One message keeps coming up: don’t underestimate the time required for each step. Mapping your invoice flows, training teams, and implementing a solution all take longer than expected. Waiting too long could mean rushed decisions or last-minute obstacles.

👉 Watch our latest webinar to find out the work we are doing for our client Air France to help them on their journey to e-invoicing compliance in France.

Choosing the right PDP: Why Tradeshift is the smart move

With so many platforms in the mix, it can be difficult to know where to start. But a closer look at the details makes the decision clearer.

Tradeshift is not only live and connected in production; we also volunteered for and successfully completed interoperability testing, proving our systems can interact seamlessly with others. That’s not just a technical win—it’s a sign of long-term reliability and readiness.

We bring more than just compliance. Tradeshift is a platform built for scale, complexity, and collaboration. Whether you operate locally or globally, our solution adapts to your business needs. We support the full range of e-invoicing and reporting scenarios, and our tools are designed to evolve with regulatory updates, not lag behind them.

What sets us apart is our experience in handling complexity and our innovation mindset. With years of supporting multinational businesses through digital transformation, we’ve learned how to make change work in your favor. We’re not just ticking boxes for compliance. We’re helping companies streamline their processes, reduce risk, and unlock value from day one.

If you haven’t yet selected your PDP, now is the moment to take action. We’re here to help make that choice easier and to ensure your journey into e-invoicing is a confident one.

Want to talk to our experts or see a demo of how Tradeshift works as a PDP?