Lessons from Belgium at Peppol’s European Conference
Image: Flowin team at Peppol European Conference 2026
Peppol’s latest European Conference offered insightful discussions about the future of interoperability and cross-border e-invoicing. A truly inspiring event where we learned how the Peppol ecosystem continues to evolve, with collaboration as the driving force behind tangible progress.
Given the wide range of approaches to e-invoicing models and mandates across the continents, it’s essential that countries pay attention to lessons from other’s experiences.
With this in mind, Belgium took centre stage on the first morning. Only six months into its e-invoicing mandate, the country is already emerging as a leading example for the rest of Europe.
Small country. Big example.
Belgium was one of the first EU countries to introduce mandatory B2B e‑invoicing. And first to stipulate Peppol for transmission (with some limited exceptions).
Six months into Belgium’s mandate, things are going extremely well. Conference attendees were keen to get the low down on Belgium’s formula for success.
The numbers:
- With its mandate coming into force on 1 January 2026, Belgium reached its goal of peak adoption during the winter 2025-26 holiday season.
- By June 2026, Belgium had 1,161,872 entities registered. Close to the natural 90% ceiling.
- No fines for non-compliance were issued during these first 6 months.
An impressive result. So, how did it happen?
In a nutshell, I think this largely comes down to simplicity, clear guidelines and a decisive government.
Belgium has a simple ecosystem:
- Everyone has to use Peppol (except when transacting partners mutually agree an alternative).
- Everyone has to use the same format.
- Belgium’s model is not centralised. This avoids unnecessary complexity around access points, software and government involvement.
Guidance has been clear:
- Transformation to e-invoicing was guided by public sector figures such as Wouter Bollaert (FPS Finance) and Serge Libert (FPS BOSA), supported by the broader Peppol community.
Leadership has been strong:
- The Belgian government adhered to its stated goals and implementation deadline.
Clear conclusion
Conference attendees reached strong consensus that Belgium made the right choices when shaping its e-invoicing mandate framework. Belgium may be a small country, but simplicity works and is easy to scale. This is the key takeaway for any countries that are still defining their approach.
