Peppol 2026: what you need to know about future e-invoicing regulations

by Yaron Verfaillie

April 2, 2025

Much change is afoot in the world of e-invoicing. Peppol in 2026 will play a prominent role in the way companies manage their invoices sending and receiving electronically. As a company, it is vital to prepare for these changes in order to comply with the new regulations in a timely manner. That way, you can take full advantage of the benefits of Peppol. In this blog article, we take a closer look at the Peppol 2026 regulations and what this means for businesses like yours.

What is Peppol?

Peppol is an international network for the electronic exchange of documents, particularly invoices and credit notes. In the future, other documents will also be exchanged through Peppol, such as orders, delivery confirmations, payment requests and IMRs. It is an open standard designed to facilitate communication between businesses and government agencies. Peppol enables e-invoices and other business documents to be sent and received worldwide in a standardized manner. This reduces the administrative burden, increases efficiency and minimizes the risk of errors.

Peppol 2026: what will change?

By 2026, e-invoicing will become the standard in many European countries, and companies will be required to send and receive invoices over the Peppol network. As part of the ViDA-legislation (VAT in the Digital Age) indicated that Peppol is the preferred standardized infrastructure for e-invoicing, which plays a crucial role in the broader digitization of tax reporting in Europe. However, not every European country chooses Peppol, as some may implement other systems or networks for e-invoicing.

Major regulatory changes for 2026:

Mandatory Peppol-registration: as of 2026, electronic electronic invoicing via the Peppol network is mandatory for all transactions between two VAT-registered companies in Belgium (B2B). This means that companies will have to exchange their invoices electronically via the standardized Peppol network. The obligation for invoicing to public authorities (B2G) has already been in place since March 2024.
Integration of Peppol into national systems: Belgium has already aligned its national e-invoicing infrastructure with the Peppol network. This means that companies already operating within this system are well prepared for the new regulations. Companies not yet using Peppol would do well to prepare in time to be compliant by 2026.
Standardization of invoice formats: Peppol ensures the standardization of the format of electronic invoices so that all parties involved can process invoice data automatically. This provides benefits for both companies and governments, such as faster processing and cheaper administrative costs. Peppol ensures that invoice data is always sent in a structured (UBL) format, which facilitates processing.
Security and privacy: Peppol has stringent security and privacy requirements that ensure companies do not have to worry about the integrity of data sent over the network. This adds to confidence in e-invoicing, as there is a robust infrastructure in place to ensure the security of all transactions.

How do you prepare for Peppol 2026?

For companies not yet working with Peppol, it is important to make the proper preparations. Here are some steps you can take to get your organization ready for the changes coming in 2026:

Inform your team: Make sure that those responsible within your organization are aware of the regulatory changes around Peppol. This helps to avoid confusion and makes it easier to switch to the new system.
Choose a Peppol Access Point that fits your needs: a Peppol Access Point provides access to the Peppol network for sending and receiving e-invoices. It is important to choose a reliable partner that meets the needs of your business. Therefore, do thorough research on the various providers and choose an Access Point that integrates seamlessly with your business software and provides the necessary support. This way, you avoid technical challenges and ensure an efficient and secure e-invoicing solution.
Get the right billing system: Many companies will need to update their existing billing systems to meet the new e-invoicing obligations. This may mean upgrading to a billing system that supports the Peppol format, or implementing new systems to communicate with the Peppol network.
Testing the Peppol system: Start your e-invoicing project on time to gradually become familiar with Peppol. This gives you the space to adjust your invoicing processes and detect and correct any errors in time. By switching step by step, you will ensure a smooth integration and avoid last minute problems during the full transition to the Peppol network.
Follow along: regulations surrounding Peppol 2026 are not set in stone and may change in the future. Keep an eye on the latest changes in legislation and technical standards so that your business is always up-to-date. So choose an Access Point that informs you of any changes.

Cost and ROI of Peppol

Peppol not only offers benefits in terms of compliance and efficiency, but can also provide significant cost savings. Moving to e-invoicing through Peppol helps companies optimize their administrative processes while reducing operational costs.

Cost savings: e-invoicing through Peppol eliminates the need for manual processing of paper invoices or emails, resulting in lower administrative costs.
Administration savings: using standardized e-invoices reduces invoice errors, saving companies time and resources that would otherwise be spent correcting errors and following up on payments.
ROI: ROI becomes especially noticeable in the longer term as it increases efficiency, reduces administrative costs and reduces the likelihood of errors.

How to deal with suppliers and customers who are not yet Peppol-ready?

It is important to make suppliers and customers aware of the commitments around Peppol and help them implement it. This can be done by supporting them in their choice of software or by helping them integrate with Peppol Access Points.

Suppliers that do not comply with Peppol regulations risk delays in payments or even penalties. It is therefore essential for companies to make a timely transition to Peppol.

The benefits of Peppol for businesses

In addition to meeting legal obligations, Peppol offers numerous benefits to businesses:

Cost savings: e-invoicing through Peppol eliminates the need for manual processing of paper invoices and PFD invoices, resulting in lower administrative costs.
Faster payments: Peppol makes it easier to process invoices faster, which can contribute to faster payments from customers and suppliers.
Fewer errors: Because invoices are sent in a standardized format, input errors are greatly reduced, making the payment process more efficient.
Accessibility: Peppol makes it easier for companies to exchange electronic invoices. Belgian companies with a VAT number must Peppol invoices to each other, ensuring a streamlined and efficient billing process.

Conclusion

Peppol 2026 brings a significant change to the world of e-invoicing, requiring companies to move to standardized electronic invoicing over the Peppol network. This transition offers companies the opportunity to cut costs, speed up administrative processes and reduce errors. By taking the right steps now and preparing your organization, you can ensure that you are compliant with regulations and take full advantage of the benefits Peppol offers.

Looking for help getting your business ready for Peppol 2026? Nymus offers consulting, implementation and integration of Peppol to your systems so you can focus on what really matters: sending invoices correctly and getting paid. Contact us for more information!