Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) is the backbone of electronic invoicing across Europe and beyond. Used by governments and businesses in over 40 countries, Peppol enables the secure exchange of standardized electronic documents. This guide explains how Peppol works, who needs it, and how to get connected.
What is Peppol?
Peppol is an international framework for the exchange of electronic business documents. Originally developed for public procurement in Europe, it has expanded to support B2B and B2G (business-to-government) invoicing worldwide. Peppol defines a set of standards for document formats, transport protocols, and participant identification that ensure interoperability across borders and systems.
How Peppol works
Peppol operates on a four-corner model, similar to email. The sender and receiver each connect through their own Access Point (AP), which handles the secure transmission of documents.
- Corner 1: The sender (your business) creates an invoice
- Corner 2: The sender's Access Point transmits the invoice
- Corner 3: The receiver's Access Point receives the invoice
- Corner 4: The receiver (your client) receives the invoice
The SMP and SML
Peppol uses a Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) and Service Metadata Locator (SML) to route documents. When you send an invoice, the network looks up the receiver's Peppol ID to find their Access Point, then delivers the document securely using the AS4 transport protocol.
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0
Peppol BIS (Business Interoperability Specification) Billing 3.0 is the standard document format used on the Peppol network for invoices and credit notes. It is based on UBL 2.1 (Universal Business Language) and defines a structured set of fields that every Peppol invoice must contain.
- Based on UBL 2.1 XML format
- Mandatory fields: supplier, customer, line items, tax breakdown
- Support for credit notes and self-billing
- Cross-border compliance built in
- Validation rules enforced by Access Points
Who uses Peppol?
Peppol is used by governments and businesses across more than 40 countries. It is mandatory for B2G invoicing in many European countries and increasingly adopted for B2B transactions.
- European Union: mandatory for public procurement in most member states
- France: part of the 2026 e-invoicing reform infrastructure
- Italy: used alongside the SDI (Sistema di Interscambio)
- Germany: growing adoption alongside ZUGFeRD
- Nordics: widely adopted in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland
- Australia and New Zealand: adopted for government invoicing
- Singapore: mandatory for government suppliers
Peppol and European e-invoicing mandates
Several European countries are mandating electronic invoicing for B2B transactions, and Peppol is a key part of the infrastructure. In France, the 2026 reform recognizes Peppol as one of the accepted transmission channels. In Italy, Peppol complements the existing SDI system. Across the EU, the EN 16931 standard (which Peppol BIS implements) is the reference for e-invoicing compliance.
How to connect to Peppol
To send and receive invoices via Peppol, you need to connect through a certified Access Point. You have two options:
- Use a Peppol-connected invoicing software (like Finovia) that handles everything for you
- Contract directly with a Peppol Access Point provider and integrate via API
Getting a Peppol ID
To receive invoices on Peppol, your business needs a Peppol Participant ID. This is typically based on your VAT number or national business identifier. Your Access Point (or invoicing software) registers your ID on the Peppol network so that other businesses can find and send documents to you.
Peppol with Finovia
Finovia is connected to the Peppol network as an Access Point. This means you can send and receive Peppol invoices directly from Finovia without any additional setup or third-party contracts. Every invoice you create in Finovia can be sent via Peppol with one click. Your Peppol Participant ID is automatically registered when you activate e-invoicing on your account. Finovia handles the UBL generation, validation, and transmission — you just create your invoice and send it.
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