In the Netherlands, e-invoicing adoption lags behind, especially compared to other European countries, such as Belgium and Germany, where e-invoicing via Peppol will become mandatory as of 2026. During a recent interview with Accountancy Vanmorgen, I, Erwin Wulterkens, shared this concern and discussed how the Netherlands needs to take quick steps to catch up. In this article, I discuss why action is needed now in the Netherlands.
Peppol is an international e-invoicing network established in 2008 with funds from the EU. The goal of Peppol is to streamline data and trade between organizations. Peppol can be used by governments, businesses and other types of organizations. The network works according to the 4-corners model: the sender (C1) sends its e-invoice to its service provider (C2), which then sends the data to the recipient's service provider (C3), after which the e-invoice is delivered to the recipient (C4).
Peppol offers a huge step forward in internationally unambiguous and efficient electronic invoicing, but in the Netherlands the share of e-invoices in the total number of invoices sent is still only a few percent. And that while Deloitte found back in 2014 that Dutch businesses could save a billion by e-invoicing.
Progress in other countries shows how essential e-invoicing is for the future of international trade. In Japan and Malaysia, for example, e-invoicing via Peppol is already the norm. in Europe, too, we see that countries such as Belgium and Germany will make e-invoicing via Peppol mandatory from 2026. This shows how the Netherlands is lagging behind the rest of the world. But why is the Netherlands lagging behind?
One of the reasons e-invoicing is not taking off in the Netherlands is because its benefits are still too little known. E-invoicing provides speed and efficiency. Instead of drawing up a separate document, structured data is collected and sent to the recipient over a secure network. This means you can be sure you have always sent the right data.
By working with data, far-reaching automation can be applied to internal processes. Companies can even save up to half the capacity on accounts payable by switching to e-invoicing.
The security of e-invoicing is also a big advantage. Sending invoices as PDFs via e-mail is becoming less and less secure. E-invoicing through Peppol makes it much harder for criminals to commit fraud, because the service providers verify the identity of their customers and suspicious invoices are immediately recognized. This prevents phantom invoices and minimizes the risk of fraud.
Another key benefit of switching to e-invoicing is that companies are immediately prepared for the upcoming European VAT in the Digital Age (Vida) rules. Vida introduces new VAT rules that allow companies to declare VAT in real time based on their invoices, without the need for manual entry. This helps prevent fraud and simplifies international business. The requirement, however, is that companies start sending e-invoices for goods and services delivered (internationally). So you have to be ready anyway if you do business in an EU context.
In recent years, the role of the accountant has already increasingly shifted from execution to advice. The same applies in the field of invoicing: the customer will simply state that he wants e-invoicing arranged. This will take you from the administrative role increasingly to the facilitating and controlling role.
At NLeyes, we support companies looking to transition to e-invoicing through Peppol. Our team of experts is ready to help you implement e-invoicing and simplify your administrative processes. Whether you are an accountant who wants to advise his clients or a company that wants to be ready for the future European rules, we will make sure that your organization makes a smooth transition to this new standard.
Erwin Wulterkens
