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PEPPOL

A network and specifications for exchanging e-procurement documents, including e-invoices.

Definition

A network and specifications for exchanging e-procurement documents, including e-invoices.

Why this term matters

Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is a document profile, not the routing layer. The Peppol network and Access Points handle delivery. Registration and endpoint requirements apply only when the selected buyer route uses Peppol; country, transaction, and buyer rules can differ.

Explanation

Often used via certified Access Points with participant identifiers.

PEPPOL BIS 3.0 defines invoice rules and UBL structures.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (the document profile) with the Peppol Network (the AS4 transport).
  • Not registering an EAS scheme identifier — most common: 9930 for German VAT-ID, 0088 for GLN, 0184 for Danish CVR, 0190 for Dutch OIN.
  • Using a self-hosted SMP without OpenPEPPOL certification — it will not be discoverable by other Access Points via the SML.
  • Sending UBL with the wrong CustomizationID URI (e.g., generic EN 16931 instead of urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:3.0).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be Peppol-certified to send invoices?

No — only Access Point operators need OpenPEPPOL certification. Suppliers and receivers register a participant identifier with a certified Access Point provider and use that AP as their gateway.

How do I find a recipient’s Peppol address?

Look up their participant identifier (often shown as eas:value, e.g. 9930:DE123456789) in the Peppol Directory or directly via SML/SMP discovery. The recipient publishes which document types and profiles they accept in their SMP.

Is Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 the same as XRechnung?

No, but they are compatible. XRechnung is a German CIUS that adds BR-DE rules on top of EN 16931; Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is a separate CIUS used for the Peppol network. A single UBL document can satisfy both if it declares the right CustomizationID and respects both rule sets.

Related articles

Peppol network guide: identifiers, access points and invoice delivery

Learn how Peppol routes invoices, how endpoint schemes work, and what to check before sending a Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 invoice.