E-Invoicing for Belgium: API References

Introduction

Belgium is advancing its electronic invoicing and tax compliance frameworks to improve VAT reporting, combat fraud, and enhance business efficiency. The country has adopted the European PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) standard and is moving towards broader e-invoicing mandates in both B2G (Business-to-Government) and B2B (Business-to-Business) transactions.

Key E-Invoicing Frameworks in Belgium

• B2G E-Invoicing: Mandatory for suppliers dealing with public entities, using the PEPPOL BIS (Business Interoperability Specification) standard.
• B2B E-Invoicing: Belgium is planning to introduce phased B2B e-invoicing mandates in alignment with EU VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) reforms.
• Fiscalization Requirements: Cash register systems (CRS) in specific industries must comply with fiscal data recording and reporting obligations.

PEPPOL E-Invoicing System

Overview

PEPPOL is the primary framework for structured electronic invoicing in Belgium, enabling seamless and secure exchange of invoice data between businesses and public entities. It ensures compliance with EU e-invoicing directives and facilitates interoperability across borders.

Key Features

• Structured Invoice Format: Invoices must be in PEPPOL BIS 3.0 UBL format.
• Secure Transmission: Invoices are exchanged via certified PEPPOL Access Points.
• Validation & Compliance: PEPPOL ensures invoices meet national and EU regulations.
• Integration with ERP & Accounting Systems: Businesses must integrate PEPPOL-compliant solutions for seamless invoicing processes.

Belgium’s B2B E-Invoicing Roadmap

Belgium is aligning with EU-wide e-invoicing and real-time VAT reporting reforms. Key milestones incluBE:

Technical Compliance Requirements

To comply with Belgian e-invoicing mandates, businesses must ensure:

• Use of PEPPOL BIS 3.0 format for structured invoices.
• Integration with certified PEPPOL Access Points for secure exchange.
• Real-time data transmission for VAT reporting (when mandated).
• Invoice immutability and traceability to prevent fraud.
• Long-term archiving of e-invoices for at least 7 years in a compliant format.

For more details, refer to the Belgian tax authority (FPS Finance) and PEPPOL documentation.

Onboard to Peppol

curl 
  --url https://sandbox-api.flick.network/be/einvoice/onboard \
  --header 'x-flick-auth-key: {token}' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '
  {
    "registered_name": "TestCompany BV",
    "identifiers": [
      {
        "scheme": "BE:VAT",
        "id": "BE0123456789"
      }
    ],
    "city": "Brussels",
    "street": "Rue Exemple 123",
    "county": "Bruxelles-Capitale",
    "country": "BE",
    "contact_number": "+32-2-1234567"
  }'

{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Successfully Onboarded to Peppol",
  "data": {
    "supplier_uuid": "f4b173a9-9f0f-4850-b682-762290885fee"
  }
}

Submit an Invoice

curl --url https://sandbox-api.flick.network/be/einvoice/generate/invoice \
  --header 'x-flick-auth-key: {token}' \
  --header 'supplier_uuid: {supplier_uuid}' \
  --header 'transport_mode: peppol' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '
    {
      "ID": "INV-11",
      "DocumentType": "380",
      "IssueDate": "2024-12-01",
      "DocumentCurrencyCode": "EUR",
      "CustomerParty": {
        "RegisteredName": "Test Inc.",
        "address": {
          "Street": "Street Name 987",
          "ZipCode": "9999AA",
          "City": "City Test",
          "Country": "BE"
        },
        "Identifiers": [
          {
            "scheme": "BE:VAT",
            "id": "BE0123456789"
          }
        ]
      },
      "InvoiceLines": [
        {
          "Description": "Test Item",
          "InvoicedQuantity": 2,
          "PriceAmount": 100,
          "TaxType": {
            "TaxRate": 19,
            "TaxType": "standard",
            "TaxCountry": "BE"
          }
        }
      ],
      "TotalIncludingVat": 238.00
    }'

{
  "status": "success",
  "data": {
    "DocumentID": "52d08f40-a2a0-450b-857f-2e1dd865064c",
    "DeliveryStatus": "Scheduled"
  }
}

Get Document Details

curl 
  --url https://sandbox-api.flick.network/be/einvoice/get-document/{uuid} \

  --header 'x-flick-auth-key: {token}' \
  --header 'supplier_uuid: {supplier_uuid}' 

{
  "uuid": "52d08f40-a2a0-450b-857f-2e1dd865064c",
  "ID": "INV-11",
  "DocumentType": "380",
  "IssueDate": "2024-12-01",
  "DocumentCurrencyCode": "EUR",
  "CustomerParty": {
    "RegisteredName": "Test Inc.",
    "address": {
      "Street": "Street Name 987",
      "ZipCode": "9999AA",
      "City": "City Test",
      "Country": "BE"
    },
    "Identifiers": [
      {
          "scheme": "BE:VAT",
          "id": "BE0123456789"
      }
    ]
  },
  "InvoiceLines": [
    {
      "Description": "Test Item",
      "InvoicedQuantity": 2,
      "PriceAmount": 100,
      "TaxType": {
        "TaxRate": 19,
        "TaxType": "standard",
        "TaxCountry": "BE"
      }
    }
  ],
  "TotalIncludingVat": 238.00
}

Get Delivery Status

curl 
  --url https://sandbox-api.flick.network/be/einvoice/delivery-status/{uuid} \

  --header 'x-flick-auth-key: {token}' \
  --header 'supplier_uuid: {supplier_uuid}' 

{
  "DocumentID": "52d08f40-a2a0-450b-857f-2e1dd865064c",
  "DeliveryStatus": "Delivered"
}

Received Document

{
  "Event": "DocumentReceived",
  "EventType": "PeppolReceived",
  "EventGroup": "Invoice",
  "uuid": "52d08f40-a2a0-450b-857f-2e1dd865064c",
  "DocumentId": "INV-123",
  "Status": "Delivered"
}