The document summarizes the European Commission's action plan to promote e-invoicing in Europe. It outlines four priorities: 1) ensuring a consistent legal environment, 2) achieving mass adoption among SMEs, 3) stimulating widespread use, and 4) promoting a common data model. Actions include implementing new VAT directive rules, revising e-signature rules, launching projects to help SMEs, publishing best practices, and establishing national and European e-invoicing forums. The goal is for e-invoicing to become the predominant invoicing method in Europe by 2020.

1. 20/12/2011
e-Invoicing Action Plan
State of play
Michel Catinat
Head of Unit ”ICT for Competitiveness and Industrial
Innovation”
CEN WS eINV3 Open Meeting
Brussels, 12 December 2011
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
Agenda
• Realisation of Communication’s actions
• Establishment of the European and
National Fora
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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2. 20/12/2011
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
• Objective :
“The Commission wants to see e-invoicing
become the predominant method of
invoicing by 2020”
• Current situation :
Enterprises sending and/or receiving e-
invoices : 31 % (2010-Eurostat)
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
4 Key Priorities
1. Ensure a consistent legal environment for e-
invoicing
2. Achieve mass market adoption by reaching
SMEs
3. Stimulate an environment that creates
maximum reach
4. Promote a common semantic data model
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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3. 20/12/2011
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
1.Ensure a consistent legal environment for e-
invoicing
Transposition of the new VAT Directive :
Poland, Germany have already implemented new
rules for e-invoicing under the current VAT Directive
which are consistent with the rules as from 2013.
A revision of the e-signatures Directive :
In 2012 : Legislative proposal for a “Pan European
framework for electronic identification,
authentication and signature”
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
2.Achieve mass market adoption by reaching
SMEs
 Support SMEs in “Digital Supply Chains”
Two new projects in the “tourism” and “food supply
chain” to be launched in 2012
3.Stimulate an environment that creates
maximum reach
 Code of Practice
Draft submitted to public review
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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4. 20/12/2011
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
4.Promote a common semantic data model
CEN will design implementation guidelines for
the UN/CEFACT CII data model
CWA 16356 available : “European Core Invoice data
model with UN/CEFACT CII Implementation
Guideline”
UN/CEFACT should pursue the development of
e-business messages that are complementary to
the e-invoice
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
Governance for e-invoicing adoption at
national and European level :
1. Member States should put in place “National
multi-stakeholder e-invoicing fora”
-National Fora established in 18 Member States
-Representation of various stakeholders categories
(provider and user side)
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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5. 20/12/2011
Communication : “Reaping the benefits of
e-invoicing for Europe” (2010)
2.The Commission will establish a “European
multi-stakeholder e-invoicing forum”
- 1st meeting of the Forum in September 2011
- 4 Working groups on "standardisation", "legal
barriers", "exchange of good practices", and
"monitoring adoption“
- Next meeting in March 2012
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
Information and Contact
Web sites:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/ict/e-invoicing
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/taxation/vat/traders/in
voicing_rules/index_en.htm
e-Mail:
entr-ict-for-comp-and-innovation@ec.europa.eu
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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6. 20/12/2011
DG Enterprise and Industry
Information and contributions online
ec.europa.eu/enterprise
http://www.youtube.com/euenterprise
@EU_enterprise
EU Enterprise
European Commission ‹#›
Enterprise and Industry
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