What is Peppol and why is e-invoicing becoming essential?
Peppol is a secure international network that allows businesses and governments to exchange electronic invoices. Invoices are delivered directly into your customer’s accounting system, ensuring they are processed and paid more quickly.
However, Peppol is infrastructure. Whether you actually get paid is another story.
Why is Peppol becoming more important?
Across Europe, there is a strong shift towards standardized e-invoicing. Governments and businesses are adopting Peppol because invoices can be processed more efficiently, securely, and quickly, directly from one accounting system to another, without manual intervention.
Since January 1, 2026, it has become mandatory for VAT-registered businesses in Belgium to exchange B2B invoices via Peppol. Sending a PDF by email is no longer sufficient.
Where does Peppol come from?
Peppol stands for "Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine". The network was established in 2008 and started as a pilot project of the European Commission.
Companies wanted to be able to send their e-invoices securely to all their customers. This required an international network. Peppol contains an appointment calendar, a standard format for invoices, and applications for e-procurement and e-invoicing.
Organisations use the network to exchange secure electronic documents, for example, UBL invoices (UBL2.1). UBL stands for Universal Business Language and is the standard format for electronic invoicing.
What are the benefits of Peppol?
Standardized invoices
Peppol uses a fixed format, allowing different accounting systems to automatically recognize and process invoices.- Secure
Registration is based on a unique identification number, the Peppol ID, that always makes it clear who the invoice sender is. This gives ghost invoices no chance. In addition, all data is encrypted when sent.
- International
Peppol is a European initiative according to European standards. As a Peppol user, you are immediately exposed to a large range of organisations, thanks to one connection.
- GDPR-proof
All data traffic via Peppol automatically complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (the AVG, or in English: GDPR).
- More efficient
All information on the invoice is available digitally. As a result, the recipient can process the invoice with great speed.
- Faster payments
Invoices land directly in the recipient's accounting package, so they are often paid very fast.
How do I connect to the Peppol network?
First, connect to a Peppol Access Point. This will provide you with a Peppol ID and connect your organisation to the European Peppol network. As soon as you have an ID, you can invoice any other connected company electronically.
What if an invoice still remains unpaid?
Even when you invoice electronically via Peppol, some customers simply do not pay. Peppol ensures correct delivery, not payment.
Do you have an undisputed B2B invoice that remains unpaid despite reminders? Submit your case and find out what Unpaid can do for you.