Skip to content
All field notes
Market update31 July 20265 min read

Peppol and e-invoicing: what does the Netherlands expect from you?

Peppol e-invoicing is no longer a distant prospect for Dutch businesses: the European ViDA obligation takes effect in 2030, EY is advising the Dutch government to prepare for it now, and Belgian customers already expect support. Those who process invoices daily are already feeling the pressure: customers are asking for Peppol support and software packages are setting new requirements. This is the current state of affairs.

By Yeslin Beljaars

Peppol and e-invoicing: what does the Netherlands expect from you?

Photo: Tyler Franta on Unsplash

What is the current status of Peppol e-invoicing in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands has required e-invoicing for suppliers to the central government for some time, but no such obligation exists yet for B2B transactions between private companies. That is changing gradually. Ernst & Young advised the Dutch government in March 2026 to introduce mandatory e-invoicing for domestic B2B transactions from 1 January 2030. The European ViDA legislation will in any case require e-invoicing for cross-border VAT transactions within the EU from 2030. Final Dutch legislation is expected around 2028, with a phased rollout through 2032. In short: the timeline is not yet set in stone, but the direction is clear.

Why does Belgium affect your administration?

Belgian companies are already required to receive and process B2B e-invoices, a rule that applied from 1 January 2026. That does not mean Dutch suppliers automatically fall under Belgian legislation. What it does mean is that Belgian customers are increasingly expecting Peppol support from their suppliers. If you, as a Dutch supplier, cannot send Peppol invoices, you risk longer payment terms, being passed over in supplier selection, or simply more manual administrative work for both parties. Those who regularly invoice Belgian companies are already feeling that pressure.

What changes concretely in document processing?

The core of the change lies in the format: a PDF invoice sent by email will no longer be sufficient. Peppol works with standardised electronic messages that are read directly into the recipient's system, without any human intervention during entry. That sounds more efficient, and it is, but it places demands on your side of the chain. Your accounting software or ERP must be able to both receive and send Peppol. Invoices arriving outside that network, by email or as a scan, will then be exceptions requiring extra attention. It is precisely that mix of structured Peppol invoices and unstructured PDFs, Excel files, or scans that will keep most finance teams busy in the years ahead.

Is the SME sector ready for this obligation?

Not yet. Research published by MKB Servicedesk shows that only 1 in 10 SMEs say they are ready for mandatory e-invoicing. That is remarkably low, given that the timeline is fairly predictable. The most commonly cited barrier is not a reluctance to change, but the practical side: which system do you use, how does it connect to Peppol, and what do you do with invoices that arrive in other formats anyway. Anyone already processing large volumes of invoices from a varied supplier base with varied formats knows that things rarely go as cleanly as the theory suggests.

What does this mean for those already processing invoices today?

The shift to Peppol will eliminate some manual work, but it also raises new questions. What do you do with suppliers who have not yet made the switch? What do you do with invoices that arrive as PDFs because a supplier has no Peppol connection, or because they are simply a foreign party not subject to the obligation? Those invoices will keep coming in, at least for the next several years. Automating invoice processing, regardless of the channel through which an invoice arrives, therefore remains relevant. Whether an invoice comes in via Peppol as a structured file or as a PDF by email: reading the relevant fields, matching against a purchase order, and queuing for approval is work you want to automate as much as possible. dottle connects to widely used accounting packages and ERP systems such as Exact, AFAS Profit, Dynamics 365 Business Central, and SAP, so invoices are delivered where the work happens, regardless of format.

Seeing this in your own document flow?

Book a demo on your own documents

Frequently asked questions

When will e-invoicing become mandatory in the Netherlands?

Final legislation is expected around 2028, with a phased rollout through 2032. EY is advising the government to make the obligation for B2B transactions effective from 1 January 2030. The European ViDA legislation already requires e-invoicing for cross-border EU transactions from 2030.

As a Dutch supplier, do I already need to send Peppol invoices to Belgian customers?

You do not automatically fall under the Belgian obligation, but Belgian companies have been required to receive Peppol invoices since 2026. In practice, a growing number of Belgian customers expect their suppliers to support Peppol. Failing to do so can affect payment terms and supplier selection.

What is Peppol and how does it differ from a regular PDF invoice?

Peppol is an international network for standardised electronic messages. A Peppol invoice is a structured digital file that is read directly into the recipient's accounting system, without any manual data entry. A PDF invoice is an image of an invoice that a person or software still needs to interpret and process.

What do I do with invoices that still arrive as PDFs or scans?

Not all suppliers are connected to Peppol, particularly parties from outside the EU. PDFs and scans will continue to arrive for years to come. Automating invoice processing regardless of format ensures that those invoices also end up in your system without manual data entry.