Belgian E-Invoicing Mandate: Ready for January 2026?
Onventis helps organisations become compliant on time
From 1 January 2026, electronic invoicing will become mandatory for all B2B transactions in Belgium. With this step, Belgium moves towards a more efficient, data-driven and fully digital invoice chain. PDF invoices (even when sent by email) will no longer be considered valid invoices.
The Belgian e-invoicing mandate does not stand on its own. It is part of ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age), the European programme aimed at modernising and harmonising VAT reporting. ViDA requires member states to adopt structured e-invoices and real-time digital reporting to reduce fraud, eliminate manual errors and accelerate VAT processes.
The legislation includes a three-month transition period until 1 April 2026, during which companies can still prepare their processes without immediate penalties. However, conversations with Belgian organisations show that not all finance and procurement teams have started their preparations.
What exactly changes in January 2026?
The Belgian mandate requires companies to send and receive invoices in a fully structured format (Peppol BIS 3.0) via the PEPPOL network. This creates standardised, error-free and efficiently processed invoice exchange between suppliers and customers.
The core requirements:
- All B2B invoices must be sent via PEPPOL
- PDF invoices are no longer sufficient
- Enforcement begins on 1 April 2026
For many organisations, this represents a fundamental shift in how their invoice flows are designed.
What penalties apply if you are not compliant?
The Belgian government links concrete penalties to non-compliance with the e-invoicing rules. From 1 April 2026, once enforcement begins, organisations that do not meet the requirements may face administrative fines:
- €1,500 for the first violation
- €3,000 for the second violation
- €5,000 for each subsequent violation
Are you still on time?
The e-invoicing mandate is approaching rapidly. Organisations that start now are just in time to meet the deadline.
Onventis is fully certified to receive e-invoices via PEPPOL. Organisations do not need to set up their own technical integrations or complex infrastructure.
As a provider of a complete Source-to-Pay platform, Onventis has supported companies across Europe for many years in transitioning to structured e-invoicing. With our experience in PEPPOL, UBL standards and digital invoice processing, we help organisations become compliant quickly, securely and with ease.
