For all contracts signed after 1 January next year, Dutch central government organisations will only accept electronic invoices from suppliers, the government announced on 16 June. The measure will reduce bureaucracy and simplify government.
The Dutch government expects the change to eInvoicing to help it save about EUR 10 million, it explained in a letter to Parliament.
By making eInvoicing mandatory, the government hopes to encourage other municipalities, provinces and water management organisations to switch as well. In a statement, the government refers to estimates that this will save companies over a billion euros per year.
Accelerating
Preparations for a switch to eInvoicing go back many years. In 2009, for example, the tax rules were changed to make electronic invoices possible. In 2011, the government started Digipoort, an online and central messaging portal that allows suppliers to send invoices electronically. In 2015, the government agreed with trade groups and public administrations to encourage a switch to eInvoicing.
The two Dutch government standards for electronic invoices are UBL OHNL, for goods and services, and SETU OHNL for temporary staff recruitment.
More information:
Letter to the Parliament (PDF, in Dutch)
Announcement by the Government (in Dutch)