Guides: e-invoicing, Peppol and UBL
Practical guides on creating and checking e-invoices, Peppol BIS 3 and the rules in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Mandatory e-invoicing in Belgium (2026)
Since 1 January 2026 structured e-invoices via Peppol are mandatory between Belgian VAT-registered businesses. Who is in scope, exemptions, penalties and what it means for foreign suppliers.
What is Peppol?
Peppol is the network over which e-invoices are exchanged securely between accounting systems. Access Points, the Peppol ID, Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 and UBL explained.
Create a UBL invoice in 5 steps
How to create a UBL invoice that passes Peppol validation: mandatory fields, Peppol ID, VAT categories, amounts and checking. With a free web form and API.
Peppol validation errors explained
E-invoice rejected? Explanation and fix for the most common Peppol BIS 3 and EN 16931 validation errors, such as BR-CO-15, PEPPOL-EN16931-R003, R020, BR-S-08 and NL-R-003.
Mandatory e-invoicing in the Netherlands: what is the timeline?
When will e-invoicing become mandatory in the Netherlands? The Dutch government plans domestic B2B e-invoicing from 1 July 2030 and digital reporting from 1 July 2031. What applies now, what is coming and what you can do.
PDF invoice vs e-invoice: what is the difference?
A PDF by email is not the same as an e-invoice. The difference between a PDF invoice and a structured e-invoice (UBL/Peppol), when each is allowed and why it matters.
Not tax or legal advice. This article gives general information based on public sources (as of 1 November 2026). Rules can change; check your own situation with the tax authority (Belastingdienst, Belgian FPS Finance at efactuur.belgium.be) or your accountant.