What is EN 16931?

EN 16931 is a European standard for electronic invoicing, formally titled “Electronic invoicing – Semantic data model of the core elements of an electronic invoice.” It was developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and aims to standardize the content and structure of electronic invoices to facilitate cross-border trade and compliance with legal requirements.

Peppol BIS e-invoicing specifications are based on the EN 16931 standard, which harmonizes electronic invoicing practices across Europe, promotes efficiency, reduces costs, and enables seamless cross-border transactions.

Key aspects of EN 16931

1. Semantic Data Model: Defines the core elements and structure of an electronic invoice, ensuring consistency and interoperability across different systems and countries.
2. Core Elements: Specifies mandatory and optional fields that must be included in an invoice, such as buyer and supplier details, invoice lines, taxes, and totals.
3. Compliance: Helps businesses comply with the EU Directive 2014/55/EU, which mandates electronic invoicing in public procurement to streamline processes and reduce administrative burdens.
4. Interoperability: Provides a common framework for data exchange to facilitate interoperability between different e-invoicing systems and solutions.
5. Implementation: Designed for software developers, businesses, and public administrations to create, exchange, and process electronic invoices efficiently and consistently.

The relationship between EN 16931 and Peppol BIS

• The Peppol BIS Billing specification is specifically designed for electronic invoicing and is fully compliant with the EN 16931 standard. Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 uses the semantic data model and core elements defined in the standard for e-invoices.
• Peppol BIS ensures that the e-invoices exchanged within the Peppol network meet the requirements of EN 16931, facilitating interoperability and compliance with EU regulations.
• By adhering to EN 16931, Peppol BIS provides a standardized approach to e-invoicing that can be widely adopted across Europe. This ensures that invoices exchanged through Peppol are compatible with systems used by different businesses and public administrations.

Qvalia is fully compliant with EN 16931 and Peppol BIS.