E-invoicing in Europe: the overview
Italy, France, Peppol & co. — every country has its own formats and deadlines. Here's how to keep track.
by Torsten Link · Last reviewed: July 6, 2026
E-invoicing in Europe refers to the EU-wide shift from paper and PDF invoices to structured electronic formats. The common basis is the EN 16931 standard — but the specific formats, transmission networks and mandatory deadlines differ considerably from country to country.
01Which country is the e-invoicing pioneer?
Italy is considered the pioneer: since 2019 the country has required the FatturaPA format for practically all domestic invoices, mandatorily routed through the state platform SdI (Sistema di Interscambio) — across B2B, B2C and B2G. Italy shows early where things are heading: the tax authority receives invoice data in real time, and paper largely disappears from business dealings.
02When do France and the other EU countries follow?
France introduces its e-invoicing mandate in stages from September 2026: first the obligation to be able to receive e-invoices, then sending via approved platforms (PDP). Other countries such as Belgium and Poland have their own roadmaps with differing dates and platforms. Anyone invoicing across borders therefore quickly has to comply with several rule sets at once — a separate format and transmission path per destination country.
03What is the Peppol network?
Peppol is an international network through which structured invoices can be delivered securely and in a standardised way across borders — comparable to a postal network for e-invoices. It is especially widespread in the public sector, from the Netherlands through Belgium to Scandinavia. Instead of building a separate connection for each country, a single link to the Peppol network is enough to reach recipients in many countries.
04What changes with ViDA from 2030?
With the EU package 'VAT in the Digital Age' (ViDA), the structured e-invoice becomes the standard for cross-border B2B transactions in the EU from 2030 — combined with digital reporting of the invoice data to the tax authorities. The direction is thus clear across Europe: structured data instead of PDF, in real time instead of periodic reporting. For businesses this means preparing early for consistently structured invoicing processes.
The short version
One standard (EN 16931), many flavors: FatturaPA, Factur-X, Peppol & co. The most reliable strategy is software that knows the destination country — current dates per country are in our country registry.
Keep reading
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