Peppol is a secure, legislated network that will be the cornerstone of e-invoicing in Belgium and many other EU countries. In this blog, you will learn about the history and benefits of Peppol, but also about how it works and why it is a gamechanger for invoice management.
Originally coined as an acronym for Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line, “Peppol” has evolved into an internationally recognized brand name, representing a global network designed to streamline e-procurement and e-invoicing. It provides companies with a secure and standardized way to exchange electronic documents across various formats, in accordance with a specified protocol. In many countries, including Belgium, Peppol has been chosen as the preferred network to support the upcoming mandatory transition to e-invoicing for B2B transactions.
How does Peppol work?
Peppol was launched in 2008 as an experiment by the European Commission. The project aimed at simplifying the complete process from order requests to invoice payments between government agencies and suppliers through automatic processing. Based on open standards, Peppol employs the Universal Business Language (UBL) as a standardized format for electronic documents. This ensures their exchange in a comprehensible and consistent manner. In Belgium, the government has already embraced Peppol for e-invoicing, with the private sector now swiftly following.
Your company can connect to the Peppol network via an Access Point. Compare it to the process of connecting a smartphone to a phone network via a telecom provider. Once you are registered – akin to receiving your “phone number” on the network – you can start sending e-invoices to any party who is likewise registered on Peppol. To ensure the secure transmission of your invoice, each transaction involves four components. The document is first transferred from the sender’s system to their Peppol access point. An encrypted version of the invoice is then sent to the receiver’s access point, from where it is forwarded directly to the receiver’s systems.
Why Peppol?
The Peppol network offers several security features that are not feasible with standard emails. The system upholds confidentiality requirements through encryption of data during the transmission between access points. Moreover, Peppol incorporates mechanisms to ensure the authenticity of the sender, and documents transmitted via the network are immutable. Consequently, e-invoicing with Peppol yields numerous advantages, including reduced operational costs, faster payment, and streamlined invoice management. Read this blog to learn more about e-invoicing.
On January 1, 2026, Belgium will follow in the footsteps of other EU countries by mandating e-invoicing in B2B transactions. Companies will have to comply with a regulatory framework that uses Peppol. Selecting Peppol is a logical choice, considering our government’s experience with the network. Furthermore, the upcoming legislation aligns with a European directive aimed at standardizing e-invoicing and e-reporting within the EU by 2028. In an upcoming blog, we will zoom in on this European directive, called ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age).
We can expect that many other countries will also adopt legislation based on Peppol. For instance, our neighboring countries (the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France & Germany) all accept Peppol for government e-invoicing.
Get ready for Peppol with speos
Are you ready for 2026? Speos is already deploying the Peppol connection, so you do not have to wait to join the network and start sending e-invoices. At speos, we have the expertise and skills to help you transmit files into Peppol formats. As a one-stop shop for all your invoicing requirements, we can efficiently address your needs and support projects on both a national and international scale. In this way, you can immediately reap the many benefits offered by e-invoicing. Our professionals can come and make a Peppol readiness assessment of your business to help you make the jump. Contact us!
