E-billing in Belgium: Peppol mandatory for all companies in 2026

The digital transformation of invoicing is firmly underway in Europe, and Belgium is no exception. The Belgian government has approved a new law that, as of January 1, 2026, will make B2B e-invoicing mandatory.

This means that from that date, all commercial transactions between Belgian companies (subject to VAT) through electronic invoices in a structured format will have to proceed, with the Peppol network as the exchange channel.

The measure aims to improve tax efficiency, facilitate tax audits and reduce VAT fraud, fully in line with the European digitization trend (the EU's "VAT in the Digital Age" or ViDA initiative).

What exactly does this obligation consist of?

Essentially, companies will no longer be allowed to use paper or PDF invoices. They will now have to issue and receive their sales invoices (and supplier invoices received) electronically must issue and receive their invoices, according to common standards. Here are the main points of the Belgian legislation on mandatory e-invoicing:

Peppol mandatory in 2026: what is it and how does it work?

The cornerstone of the new regulations is the use of Peppol as an exchange network. But what exactly is Peppol?

Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line) is a standard and an international network for sending electronic documents (invoices, orders, delivery notes, etc.) on a secure, standardized and interoperable manner. It originated in Europe to facilitate electronic public procurement between governments and suppliers and has today become the preferred infrastructure for cross-border e-invoicing in the private sector.

In the Peppol model, companies do not send their invoices directly via e-mail or other channels. Each party joins a certified Peppol Access Point. These access points function as nodes: the sender sends its invoice from its software or ERP to the access point, which forwards the invoice over the network. The recipient's access point receives the invoice and delivers it to the customer's software system. The entire process uses common protocols and formats, making custom connections between companies unnecessary.

If your company already uses a modern accounting or management package, chances are it will soon have will offer a Peppol integration, or that your vendor will make that functionality available before 2026. Many ERPs and cloud solutions in Belgium (such as Odoo, SAP, etc.) are already working on this.

Advantages of Peppol

• Open standard network: any company can send e-invoices to another company, even if they use different systems, as long as both are connected to Peppol through a provider.
• Full automation: automatic receipt of supplier invoices directly into your software (without manual entry) and automatic sending of sales invoices to customers without email.
• Better security: only authorized participants are part of the network, reducing fraud.
• Faster processing: documents circulate faster and with fewer errors.
• Future-proof: Belgium plans to also use Peppol from 2028 for near real-time e-Reporting, where invoice data is automatically transmitted to the tax authorities.

In short, investing in a Peppol connection means not only complying with the 2026 law, but also being prepared for a digital ecosystem in which invoicing and VAT returns will be fully integrated.

How to prepare your company for mandatory e-invoicing

For many companies, especially SMEs, this change means a major update in the way they work. Here are some recommendations to help you adjust in time and without surprises:

• Inform and educate

  It is essential to understand what the new law requires and how it affects your business. Determine whether your main customers and suppliers operate in Belgium (domestic B2B) and are therefore subject to the requirement. Train your administrative/accounting team in the new processes, formats (UBL XML) and tools they will need to use.

• Evaluate your current billing system

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  Are you already using accounting or billing software? If so, ask your vendor if it will be compatible with Peppol and the EN 16931 format. Software updates are likely to come in 2025 to meet these requirements (many systems will add a Peppol module). If you are still working with manual invoices (e.g. in Word/PDF) or very simple software, you will have to switch to a more advanced solution.

• Choose compatible software (solutions for SMEs)

  SMEs in Belgium would do well to use business software that integrates e-invoicing. There already exist ERPs and cloud platforms (such as Odoo, Zoho, SAP Concur, etc.) adapted to Peppol and Belgian regulations. An integrated solution simplifies the process because you can manage "everything in one place": projects, hours worked, expenses and documents in one platform. Thus, the necessary information to issue each invoice is available digitally and in structured format. Some solutions even offer free Peppol access points or have them included in their packages, lowering implementation costs. When choosing software, always look for packages labeled "Peppol-ready" or recognized by FPS Finance as an official access point.

• Test before 2026

  Don't wait until the last minute. If possible, voluntarily activate e-invoicing in 2025 with some trusted customers/suppliers to gain experience. In Belgium, it is already allowed to send e-invoices via Peppol (for example, many companies already send electronic invoices to the government via the Mercurius platform). Testing helps to detect errors, check whether data (VAT numbers, article codes, etc.) are transmitted correctly and to make sure you can also receive invoices from third parties without problems.

• Consult consultants or technology partners

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  If you have technical questions (e.g., how to integrate Peppol with your system, how to comply with EN 16931), then it makes sense to consult specialists or your software vendor. Many vendors already offer webinars, manuals and specific support for the transition in Belgium. The government has also published guides for companies on this obligation. Keep following the official communication in case concrete deadlines or specific details per company size are still set.

Finally, remember that mandatory e-invoicing is not only a legal obligation, but also an opportunity to modernize and optimize your business. Companies that prepare in time can speed up their invoicing and payment processes, reduce errors (such as avoiding lost or incorrectly entered invoices) and increase administrative productivity.

The role of management tools

Looking ahead to 2026, it's not just about issuing invoices in Peppol format, but mainly about having the basic data well organized: hours worked, movements or tasks per customer. A digital tool that centralizes all this data - such as Done-it - makes e-invoices more accurate and makes the transition to this new system much easier.

Conclusions

The obligation to e-invoice in Belgium from 2026 marks an important milestone in the digitization of enterprises. While this represents an adjustment challenge, it also brings benefits: increased efficiency, paper savings and better financial-fiscal management. Early deployment of appropriate solutions - from Peppol-ready e-invoicing software to time and project management tools such as Done-it - is crucial to turning this obligation into an opportunity for modernization.

Those who prepare in advance, understand the new processes and support their team during the transition can rest assured that e-invoicing will be a smooth, secure and valuable process for the business starting in 2026. So get to work! Comply with legislation and take your administration to the next digital level.