Hardly begun, and it’s already over – after three engaging and discussion-packed days, the eagerly anticipated E-Invoicing Exchange Summit has come to an end. The event, held from October 2 to 4 in Dublin, Ireland, was centered on nothing less than the cross-border digitalization of the European economic area through electronic invoicing. The summit was not merely a gathering of experts and interested parties but provided a much-needed and widely utilized space for pan-European perspectives, purposeful exchange of ideas, and shared visions for the future.
This is why eInvoices are such a big deal
The exchange of electronic transaction and tax documents has, in recent years, evolved from a highly technical niche solution for dedicated digital visionaries into a global trend that appears unstoppable—and for good reason. In addition to significant efficiency gains, low error rates and excellent traceability are just a few of the countless reasons why eInvoices can offer immense benefits to almost all companies.
At the same time, governments also have a strong interest in the digitalization of invoice exchange processes, particularly in the B2G and B2B sectors. With tax data becoming available almost in real time, the rampant VAT fraud seen in many countries could finally be combated effectively. This is a point on which there has been broad consensus among experts, including those at the eInvoicing Summit in Dublin, for years.
The eInvoicing mandate: Germany suddenly on the digital "fast track"
It is therefore not surprising that Germany is now planning to introduce the eInvoicing mandate on January 1, 2025. While many other EU member states have already taken this step, among the undisputed "heavyweights" of the European economic area, only Italy has so far ventured down the digital path toward significantly higher VAT revenues. With France having recently postponed its digitization plans for several years, the "digitalization laggard" Germany suddenly finds itself on the fast track. Though admittedly, perhaps not entirely by its own efforts.
It’s no wonder, then, that one of the most frequently debated questions was: Quo vadis, Germany – and which path will the Germans take to reach their goal? Because if there’s one thing in abundance, it’s the variety of ways to implement a system for electronic invoice exchange and VAT compliance in a country like Germany or France.
"In decentralized CTC projects like those in France and increasingly in Germany, the signs are clearly pointing to the 6-corner model," reveals eInvoicing expert Dieter Keller from TRAFFIQX®. During the much-discussed SME panel, he also significantly contributed to the big question of how the countless small, medium, and larger enterprises—making up 99.8% of the 24 million businesses in the EU—can actually benefit from the impending shift to fully electronic invoicing. "It’s absolutely understandable that, at present, skepticism often outweighs enthusiasm," confirms the experienced eInvoicing pioneer. "That’s why it’s time for the industry to wake up and recognize who needs to be convinced in the coming months—and how. Let’s be honest: Typical users of expansive ERP systems like Oracle or SAP are primarily internationally operating corporations and other global players. These businesses have often relied on the benefits of electronic invoicing for years. If we don’t manage to sufficiently inform and convince the broad SME sector that the eInvoicing mandate has advantages for them too, we could face the same 'fate' as France. That’s why it shouldn’t just be about tools but, more importantly, about good, simple, and affordable eInvoicing services for SMEs."
It’s a good thing that the industry-savvy TRAFFIQX® providers identified this problem early and counteracted it with a true “plug-and-play” solution. An approach that, unsurprisingly, attracted significant attention in Dublin.
