Belgium B2B Mandate
Belgium Peppol E-Invoicing on Odoo
Since 1 January 2026, Belgian VAT-registered businesses must exchange structured e-invoices with each other, sent over the Peppol network in Peppol BIS format. PDFs and email no longer meet the rule for these invoices. Odoo is itself a Peppol access point, so sending and receiving Peppol invoices works from inside Odoo, and registration is free.
Last reviewed:
What it is
Belgium's Federal Public Service Finance made structured electronic invoicing mandatory for transactions between Belgian VAT-registered companies from 1 January 2026. The invoices have to be sent through the Peppol network, a European exchange network where each business connects through an access point, and in the Peppol BIS format, which follows the European standard EN 16931. Each business is identified on Peppol by its company number, so a supplier can look a customer up and deliver the invoice straight into the customer's system.
Why it matters
The obligation is already in force: the first three months of 2026 were a tolerance period, and industry sources report a fine scale of €1,500, €3,000 and €5,000 per repeated offence since 1 April 2026. Receiving matters as much as sending, because suppliers now deliver to your Peppol ID. The Belgian government has also approved a draft bill for near-real-time VAT e-reporting, planned from 1 January 2028, which builds on the same invoice data. Handling Peppol inside the ERP keeps one record per invoice instead of a separate portal.
Features
| Capability | What it does |
|---|---|
| Odoo as your Peppol access point | Odoo acts as both Peppol access point and SMP (the address book that tells other access points where to deliver). Registration is free and available in Odoo Community, so there is no separate Peppol subscription to buy. |
| Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 invoices and credit notes | Customer invoices and credit notes are sent as Peppol BIS 3.0, the format Belgium requires, directly from the invoice in Odoo. |
| Receiving supplier invoices | Invoices sent to your Peppol ID arrive in Odoo as draft vendor bills with the structured data filled in, ready for approval rather than re-keying. |
| Customer Peppol lookup | Odoo checks whether a customer is reachable on Peppol from their identifier, so invoices go over Peppol where possible and you can see which customers are not yet registered. |
| Belgian localization and payroll | Odoo's Belgian accounting localization covers the chart of accounts and VAT returns, and Odoo 20 adds Belgian payroll updates such as Dimona automation and joint committees. |
| Multi-country from one database | Groups with Belgian, Dutch, French or German entities run Peppol alongside France's and Germany's e-invoicing rules on the same Odoo database. |
How it works
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Compliance check
We check whether each Belgian entity is registered on Peppol, can receive, and is sending Peppol BIS invoices today, and list the gaps.
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Peppol registration
Register each entity on Peppol from Odoo with its company number. Odoo handles the access point and SMP registration.
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Configure sending and receiving
Belgian localization, customer Peppol identifiers, invoice and credit note formats, and the inbound flow into vendor bills.
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Test with real partners
Exchange test documents with a few key customers and suppliers, including credit notes, before switching everyone over.
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Go live and monitor
Send and receive over Peppol by default, with delivery status visible on each invoice and a list of customers still to onboard.
Deployment timeline
For a company already on Odoo with the Belgian localization, this is mostly registration, configuration and testing rather than development. New implementations include it from day one. We confirm the effort and a fixed price after a short compliance check.
Best for
Belgian VAT-registered businesses on Odoo, or moving to Odoo, that still send PDF invoices or cannot receive over Peppol; groups with Belgian subsidiaries running another ERP at headquarters; and Benelux companies that want Belgian Peppol, Dutch and other EU e-invoicing handled in one system.
Frequently asked questions
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When did Belgian B2B e-invoicing become mandatory?
On 1 January 2026, for transactions between Belgian VAT-registered companies, according to FPS Finance. The first three months of 2026 were a tolerance period.
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Does Belgium require Peppol?
Yes. FPS Finance states that the invoices have to be sent via the Peppol network, with Peppol BIS as the reference format. A PDF sent by email does not meet the obligation for invoices in scope.
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What are the penalties for not complying?
Industry sources report a progressive scale of €1,500, €3,000 and €5,000 per repeated offence, applied since 1 April 2026 after the tolerance period. Check the current amounts with your accountant, as FPS Finance's English pages do not list them.
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Does Odoo support Peppol in Belgium?
Yes. Odoo acts as a Peppol access point and SMP in Belgium and 31 other countries. Registration is free and available in Odoo Community. Odoo sends Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 invoices and credit notes and receives supplier invoices as draft bills.
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Do we need a separate Peppol provider if we use Odoo?
Not for standard invoicing: Odoo is the access point. Some businesses keep an existing provider for EDI or high-volume flows; Odoo can work alongside it.
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What is coming in 2028?
The Belgian government has approved a draft bill for near-real-time VAT e-reporting, planned from 1 January 2028, under which invoice data is reported to the tax authorities. It builds on the same structured invoices, so getting Peppol right now is the groundwork.
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Does this apply to invoices to consumers or foreign customers?
The 2026 obligation covers transactions between Belgian VAT-registered companies. Invoices to consumers and to customers abroad fall outside it, though Peppol can still be used where the recipient is registered.
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What does FPS Finance require for Belgian B2B e-invoices?
FPS Finance requires structured e-invoices for transactions between Belgian VAT-registered companies, sent over the Peppol network in Peppol BIS format, which follows the European standard EN 16931. Each business is identified on Peppol by its company number, so a supplier can look you up and deliver the invoice straight into your system. Details are on FPS Finance's e-invoicing site.
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Do we need to set up Peppol receiving as well as sending?
Yes, because suppliers now deliver invoices to your Peppol ID. In Odoo, invoices sent to that ID arrive as draft vendor bills with the structured data filled in, ready for approval rather than re-keying. Odoo also checks whether each customer is reachable on Peppol from their identifier, so you can see which customers are not yet registered.
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How long does Belgian Peppol setup in Odoo take?
For a company already on Odoo with the Belgian localization, it is mostly registration, configuration and testing rather than development. Peppol registration in Odoo is free and available in Odoo Community, so there is no separate Peppol subscription to buy. New implementations include it from day one. We confirm the effort and a fixed price after a short compliance check.