SERES Blog English

Croatia has made a significant advancement in the realm of tax digitisation with the implementation of its Tax Audit Act (Fiskalizacija 2.0), which will come into effect on the 1st of January 2026.

France has confirmed a series of simplification and deferral measures for the future electronic invoicing and reporting obligation. These measures will go into effect on September 1, 2026.

The implementation of B2B e-invoicing in Greece for large companies has been initiated. The launch was subsequently postponed from its initial 2 February date, as determined by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the AADE. The new launch date was set for 2 March.

The Confederation of Swedish Enterprises (NSD) has asked the government to talk with the public about how to use B2B electronic invoicing and digital reporting.

On 1 July 2025, the Norwegian Ministry of Finance asked for people's opinions on introducing digital accounting and electronic invoicing for companies that have to follow accounting rules. The aim is to make processes more efficient.

On 5 January 2026, Malaysia announced a postponement in the implementation of the fourth phase of mandatory electronic invoicing until 2027, applicable to taxpayers with annual sales between RM1 million and RM5 million.

In June 2025, the Dutch government shared a plan for putting VAT rules into practice in the Digital Age. Here are the main steps.

On June 4, 2025, the Italian Council of Ministers officially approved a law called the "Supplementary and corrective provisions on tax compliance, biennial preventive settlement, tax justice, and tax penalties".

After waiting for many months, B2B e-invoicing in Poland is now official. Since 1 February, all companies that make more than €46 million have had to start using e-invoices for business-to-business (B2B) transactions. For all other companies, this will be in effect in April.

The United Arab Emirates has published the key technical specifications for the successful implementation of B2B electronic invoicing in the country. This is scheduled for July 1, 2026.

In December 2025, XStandards for Purchasing (XStandards Einkauf) announced the publication of documentation relating to the German electronic business address (GEBA).

The Serbian government has published a draft bill that would introduce mandatory electronic transport documents or electronic delivery notes, to take effect from January 2026.

Parliament officially postponed the B2B e-invoicing obligation until January 2028 on June 5, 2025. However, voluntary use may begin as early as March 30, 2026.

On 26 June 2025, the Danish Business Authority announced that it would review the national electronic invoicing format OIOUBL and the Nemhandel infrastructure. This was after it had postponed the launch of OIOUBL 3.0.

Right now, e-invoicing in Morocco is entirely voluntary, and it is being fully implemented. The Moroccan Directorate General of Taxes has developed an e-invoicing plan, and the first details are already being released.

The current government's proposals for the 2026 state budget will directly affect e-invoicing and tax reporting in Portugal.

On 9 January 2025, the Egyptian Tax Authority announced that a new group of taxpayers will have to use electronic receipts for B2C transactions from 15 January. This is because of Resolution No. 405/2024, which covers B2C transactions.

On 11 March 2025, at a meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), the proposal for VAT in the digital age, also known as the ViDA (VAT in the digital age) project, was approved.

Since July 2024, the RO e-Factura electronic invoicing system, managed by ANAF, has been mandatory for most domestic B2B transactions. In January 2025, it was extended to B2C reporting.

The implementation of regulations that seek the adoption of electronic invoicing is progressing well throughout Europe, particularly in the context of B2B and B2G transactions.

The utilisation of e-invoicing in LATAM has emerged as a pivotal instrument in the endeavour to curtail fraud and tax evasion. With progressive yet consistent adoption, countries such as Chile, Mexico and Brazil have established leadership in implementing e-invoicing.

On 12 December 2024, the General Department of Digital Economy of Cambodia (GDDE) introduced the voluntary registration of the Cambodia E-Invoicing System for Business-to-Government (B2G) transactions.

As of January 1, 2025, Hungary has mandated electronic invoicing for all commercial transactions involving electricity and natural gas. This mandate applies to all suppliers, marketers, distributors, and transmission system operators, as well as non-consumer entities, such as associations, NGOs, and societies.

On 14 January 2026, the Slovak Financial Administration published Guide No. 1/DPH/2026/I. This guide explains some big changes to the VAT Act, which will start on 1 July 2027. Another phase of changes is planned for 1 July 2030.

The Bulgarian government has announced a new draft law to modernise the nation's tax administration through the utilisation of the SAF-T (Standard Audit File for Tax), with the objective of facilitating communication between taxpayers and tax authorities.

The Customs Revenue and Control Agency (ARCA) promulgated General Resolution 5824/2026, which serves to eliminate historical exemptions and extend the obligation to issue electronic invoices to several economic sectors that were previously exempt.

Following the launch of the e-fapiao pilot programme, which was gradually extended to the whole country as of 1 December 2021, the State Tax Administration (STA) has announced its intention to officially promote e-fapiao documents nationwide for all taxpayers as of 1 December 2024.

On April 28, 2025, the Turkish Revenue Administration (GB) published an important update to the electronic invoice package (e-Fatura) and the UBL-TR code list guide.

The General Tax Directorate (DGI) of Uruguay has approved version 25.1 of the Electronic Tax Receipt (CFE) format, effective as of 3 March 2026.

The InvoiceNow platform for e-invoicing in Singapore will commence a voluntary period in May 2025. As early as September 2024, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) will provide a test environment for companies and suppliers to verify the functionality of their systems.

E-invoicing has been a mandatory requirement for businesses in India engaged in B2B transactions since its gradual implementation commenced in October 2020, with the deadline for compliance set for April 2021.

The implementation of electronic invoicing in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still in its infancy, particularly in comparison to other European countries. Unlike in many other European countries, there is no legal obligation for businesses (B2B), consumers (B2C) or public administration (B2G) to use electronic invoicing. Despite the possibility of sending electronic invoices by post or fax, invoices are still processed in physical format.

New Zealand has published the fifth edition of its public procurement regulations, which include major changes, especially regarding electronic invoicing.

The implementation of B2B electronic invoicing in Belgium is now a reality. Following a period of several months, the mandatory use of structured electronic invoicing has been implemented for virtually all transactions between Belgian companies that are subject to VAT, with effect from 1 January 2026.

The UK government has confirmed in its 2025 Budget that, as of April 1, 2029, all businesses must issue VAT invoices in a standardised electronic format.

PEPPOL was created in 2008 as a pilot Project by the European Comission and is governed by a set of specifications and standars based on multilaterals agreements. Its acronyc stands for Pan-European Public Procurement Online (PEPPOL).

The mandatory use of e-invoicing in the B2B context in Spain is imminent, following the enactment of the Crea y Crece Law. However, in regions such as Latin America, it has been a long-standing reality.

Finland was one of the pioneering countries in the adoption of electronic invoices. In 2014, the implementation of e-invoicing in public procurement (B2G scope) commenced as a result of the Public Administrations Financial Management Strategy (2014-2020).

Luxembourg's medium- and long-term strategy, covering the years 2023-2024 and 2025-2030 respectively, includes the use of PEPPOL beyond pure e-invoicing. This reflects a progressive and ambitious approach towards the digitisation of its business and tax processes. 

In this context, the use of PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is a central element of this strategy, covering a wider range of commercial transactions.

In 2024, the mandatory electronic filing of business information represents a significant new development. This is accompanied by the amendment of the Electronic Records Retention Law (ERRL), which requires taxpayers to electronically store their e-commerce documents, including invoices.

As of 1 May 2026, the SII will mandate the incorporation of additional mandatory data within electronic shipping guides and, in select instances, associated electronic tax documentation.

The history of B2G e-invoicing in Cyprus dates back to 2012, when the Council of Ministers approved a plan called the Digital Strategy for Cyprus, which focuses on promoting the use of ICT in public institutions to achieve a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy.

SERES has published a report on the status of e-invoicing in the Americas region for the year 2023. The study highlights the increasing number of countries, including Bolivia, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic, that are adding new taxpayer groups to their e-invoicing regimes.

E-invoicing is one of the most important tools to prevent fraud and tax evasion in Latin America. Invoicing regimes are mandatory in many countries, and in others, implementation is being phased in.

The use of electronic invoicing has significantly increased in Europe in recent years. Several countries have implemented invoicing systems to optimize their processes and reduce the VAT gap.

PEPPOL was launched in 2008 as an EU initiative to facilitate the development of e-procurement in Europe. Its primary goal is to provide a secure and reliable exchange of different types of data sets between end-users via PEPPOL service providers.

Continuing issues with VAT fraud are prompting tax authorities to adopt machine learning and generative artificial intelligence to tackle the problem. Tax authorities in numerous countries, including those in the European Union, are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence tools to combat VAT fraud.

E-invoicing implementation through the PEPPOL network plays a pivotal role in the digital transformation process of countries. Its extensive acceptance, continual enhancements and inherent advantages enable a remarkable enhancement of business operations in Australia and New Zealand.

The Electronic Invoicing Service Providers Association (EESPA) has welcomed the harmonisation of e-invoicing and digital reporting requirements (DRR) proposed as part of the ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) project. The EESPA seeks to encourage the use of the DCTCE model for B2B transaction data and exchanging invoices.

SERES has released an extensive analysis on B2B electronic invoicing in the European landscape for 2023. The report showcases that various countries are set to integrate e-invoicing into inter-business transactions within the next three years. These include Romania, Poland, France, Greece, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Spain, Germany, and Belgium.

The incorporation of e-invoicing is a crucial part of the digital transformation of nations. Its widespread adoption has become a global phenomenon, particularly in the Oceania region in recent years.

Today, Africa is deeply engaged in an unprecedented process of digital transformation at the national, regional and continental levels. This transformation is being driven by the vision outlined in Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. This ambitious master plan serves as a guiding roadmap that will enable the African continent to establish itself as a global force in the future.

The implementation of mandatory electronic invoicing continues to advance in Latin America. Below, we highlight the developments that have occurred in recent months:

Adoption of e-invoicing continues to progress in Latin America, and a notable example of this progress can be seen in recent developments in Colombia and Peru during the month of September.

The use of e-invoicing in Asia is growing quickly. This is because many countries are adopting new rules to make e-invoicing more efficient and transparent.

The recent Economic and Financial Affairs Council, commonly known as ECOFIN, convened in Luxembourg in July. During this meeting, EU member states demonstrated broad agreement on the majority of proposals presented under the ViDA project.

Mandatory electronic invoicing has become increasingly prevalent in Europe in recent years, with a number of countries embracing this method to modernise and simplify their invoicing processes. The transition to e-invoicing has been gradual but steady, with a range of European nations passing legislation and regulations to encourage the uptake of mandatory e-invoicing.

Since the publication of Directive 2014/55/EU, e-invoicing has spread to all countries on the European continent.

In Europe,electronic invoicing is present in all countries and much of the success of its use is due to the regulatory impulse by the different governments to accelerate its implementation through compulsion. Such is the success of the B2G e-invoicing that the use of it is being extended to the B2B field. In this post, we will see which European countries are already adopting this new modality of invoicing between companies.

The digitalization of companies is a reality, which is why more than 80% of countries already use electronic invoicing in their companies due to the benefits that this entails. One of the latest countries to join the use of B2B e-invoicing is Saudi Arabia.

The United States is the third-largest country, home to digitalization and artificial intelligence.

The electronic invoice is a powerful tool promoted internationally that brings a multitude of benefits to companies. Although as a rule there are a number of similarities in e-invoicing projects between different countries, the multitude of types of formats, platforms, legal regulations or the level of technological development make the electronic invoicing differ from one country to another.

In the supply chain, fluid communication between all actors that are part of the process is essential. Therefore, the Electronic Document Exchange (EDI) revolutionized all the parties that make up this supply chain, especially in sectors such as automotive, retail or logistics.

Blockchain technology was named for the first time in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto (a pseudonym that has still not been uncovered) to refer to a system based on information contained in chained blocks and which makes it possible to complete transactions without intermediaries in perfect safety.

European countries lose 825bn euros from tax evasion every year. This represents a loss of 16.5% of their tax take, according to a report by the socialists and democrats group. This is a major problem for governments and for which action has already been taken at both global and local levels.

Digitalization brings many benefits to businesses. Indeed, companies that have not implemented it have a significant loss of competitive advantage compared to other companies. Business have already modernised and automated many daily activities or tasks. One of these is as a result of Electronic Document Interchange (EDI). Its take-up is increasing and the annual volume of total EDI transactions now exceeds 20bn euros.

Singapore pioneered the use of electronic invoicing - not just in Asia but worldwide. The country began using it in 2003, at the same time as Chile. However, it would be years later that it would become mandatory in Singapore.

One of the particular features of the Asian market is its heterogeneous nature. It is much more diverse, for example, than either the European or Latin American markets. Asia is the largest and most populous continent on Earth. It has a concentration of major economic powers alongside others that are still in the very early stages of development. In such an uneven environment, electronic invoicing is only gradually finding its place.

Electronic invoicing implementation is expanding and more and more used for transactions. It is estimated that in five years’ time this market reaches $20.529 million and becomes the invoicing method for 100% of transactions in many countries.

From 18^th April, 2019, the public administrations of all EU Member States are compelled to electronically receive and process their invoices. This concerns any B2G (Business-to-Government) and G2G (Government-to-Government) trades and transactions within the European Union.

Electronic invoice or e-Invoicing is a way of proving transactions in a more reliable, convenient, and safe way. It fulfils the same role as traditional invoice and is legally equivalent although it has many more benefits, becoming an essential resource for companies.

Estonia, like many other European countries, has decided to implement mandatory eInvoicing for the country’s public procurement. This decision is included in the modification of the Accounting Act that was published on 27 December 2016, which established that all contracting authorities (central, regional and local) must accept and process machine-processable invoices as of 1 March 2017.

Mandatory electronic invoicing with Czech institutions was established in the country on 1 October 2016, the year in which European countries such as Switzerland and Croatia also made it mandatory.

When we talk about the format for electronic invoicing, this refers to the structure of the file which supports the invoice itself and its legal content. In the case of Spain, the Tax Agency has established XML, which is used in the Facturae structure, previously known as AEAT-CCI, as the official format.

As in many other countries in Europe, Austria has been promoting B2G eInvoicing for several years. Electronic invoicing was regulated as far back as 2012, when the Austrian Bundesministerium Finanzen published its Austrian ICT Consolidation Act (ICTKonG). Section 5 of that Act established the requirement to use electronic invoicing in the country’s public procurement: a fact which included the national and international suppliers working with the country's federal authorities.

With the aim of achieving uniformity in the services provided to the public and improving their efficiency and effectiveness, the Spanish government decided to promote the use of eInvoicing in the country using a model which pushed all of the public administrations towards the digital transformation.

Electronic Document Interchange, EDI, is turning into an essential solution for companies as it generates many benefits, improves competitiveness and boosts the efficiency of businesses.

The standard format used in electronic data interchange (EDI) for administration, commerce and transport is defined by the United Nations and is known as UN/EDIFACT. It consists of a set of internationally agreed standards, directories, and guidelines for the electronic interchange of structured data, between independent computerised information systems.

Starting to use EDI means adapting your procedures and programs in areas such as invoicing, warehousing and accounting, to a new language and coding that most of the ERPs on the market do not cover. Why? The main reason is that it is a type of relationship that takes into account both the sender and receiver, while ERPs usually focus only and exclusively on organising the customer and not so much on the relationship between that customer and their commercial partners - customers and suppliers.

The use of electronic data interchange is common in many industries, but it has penetrated the following sectors more thoroughly: Retail (supermarkets, department stores, distributors, etc.), Automotive (car or car part manufacturers, dealerships, etc.), Healthcare (hospitals, health centres, clinics, chemists, etc.), and Transport.