Research shows that while the majority of Belgian companies believe in the benefits of e-invoicing, only a small portion is prepared for the mandatory implementation from 2026.
From January 1, 2026, all Belgian VAT-liable companies are required to use e-invoicing and connect to the Peppol network for mutual transactions. The obligation for e-invoicing via Peppol is imposed by the European Union.
Larger companies had to implement this capability earlier, but now SMEs, micro-enterprises, and sole proprietorships are also affected. Belgium has set its national deadline for complete transition to e-invoicing on January 1, 2026, ensuring companies can prepare well for the European deadline of 2030.
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E-invoicing mandatory from 2026: Belgian companies lag behind
Despite the approaching deadline, not all companies have boarded the Peppol train. Accounting firms Lucy and Horus Software recently conducted research on Belgian companies’ awareness of the new obligation. This reveals that a large majority of businesses are not yet sufficiently prepared for the new e-invoicing via Peppol, although they do recognize its benefits.
“With the deadline of January 1, 2026, it’s still not moving fast enough. Still, 8 out of 10 Belgian SMEs are not connected to Peppol,” says Philippe Kimpe, founder of Lucy.
Stuck in old habits
According to a study by Horus Software in collaboration with iVox among 317 Belgian SMEs, it appears that Peppol and mandatory e-invoicing are not yet fully on the radar. 67 percent of Belgian SMEs still don’t use e-invoicing, despite the mandatory implementation from 2026. Furthermore, one in five companies still invoice via Word or PDF, 26 percent via Excel.
Moreover, the research shows that 33 percent of business leaders are not yet aware of the obligation. In the Netherlands, this figure appears to be higher (16% know nothing about it), yet 38 percent of Dutch companies already use Peppol-based software.
Aware of benefits
Although a large portion of the surveyed companies are not yet using e-invoicing, research by Lucy shows that awareness of its benefits is fairly good. The study indicates that the majority sees e-invoicing as an administrative simplification (70%), time-saving (66%), and reducing errors (62%). And rightly so, because e-invoicing ensures that everything proceeds according to a fixed pattern, within the same framework.
The research by Horus Software shows similar figures. “Thanks to the Peppol platform, companies should have to perform fewer manual operations, be able to invoice faster, and thus get paid more quickly. We also see this in our figures: seven out of ten (71%) SMEs say that e-invoicing makes sending invoices easier, while six out of ten (62%) expect to make fewer errors,” says Benjamin Tailleur, COO at Horus Software.
Stumbling blocks
Despite the growing knowledge about e-invoicing, important stumbling blocks remain that slow down the transition, especially for smaller businesses. The cost is increasingly mentioned as a barrier: 46 percent of entrepreneurs are concerned about the financial impact, an increase of 8 percent compared to the previous quarter.
Although it’s good that companies are starting to recognize the benefits of e-invoicing and thus don’t see the new legislation only as an obligation, cost and implementation remain obstacles.
Philippe Kimpe, founder Lucy
Additionally, there is uncertainty about the technical implementation of Peppol. 36 percent don’t know how to start with it. There are also privacy concerns (30%) and some fear becoming dependent on one system (24%). These concerns show that clear guidance and accessible solutions remain crucial to getting SMEs on board with digital invoicing in time.
Time Is Running Out
The Belgian government has set the deadline for e-invoicing via the Peppol network for January 1, 2026. By then, all VAT-liable Belgian companies must send and receive their invoices through Peppol. Accountants play a crucial role in this process. Most information about the requirement reaches companies through accountants (47%) and networks (32%). The government has a smaller share of only 23 percent. It is the responsibility of accountants, software providers, and the government to address concerns about Peppol, as time is running out.