Economy

Collaboration for fast and efficient cross-border eInvoicing in the Benelux

25 Mar. 2025

The Benelux eInvoicing Study Day 2025 has enabled a significant step forward in favor of faster and more efficient cross-border electronic invoicing. Governments, businesses, and the European Commission have identified ways and proposed solutions to improve and accelerate the implementation of e-invoicing in cross-border public procurement. This meeting builds on the Benelux recommendation of March 14, 2024 which calls for enhanced cooperation in this area.

Michel-Etienne Tilemans, Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux, emphasizes the importance of this collaboration: “Strengthening the internal market through electronic invoicing is more crucial than it might seem at first glance from a purely technical perspective. The digitization of transactions promotes the free movement of services and goods. The Benelux has always been a pioneer in European cooperation, and today we are taking steps forward in our ambitions and putting them into action. Through close collaboration between governments and the private sector, we can overcome obstacles and accelerate cross-border digital integration.”

This study day, organized at the Benelux House with the cooperation of the RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and the support of the three countries, once again demonstrated the benefits of digital invoicing: reduction of administrative burdens, faster payments, and increased reliability of transactions. Participants particularly explored the Peppol network (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line), which provides a secure and standardized solution for transactions and the exchange of documents in e-procurement.

The Benelux working group responsible for electronic invoicing will ensure follow-up by formulating concrete action points to achieve the objectives of the Benelux multi-year program for 2025-2028 in this area.