A mixed picture of e-invoicing preparations

The survey offers a keen insight into how businesses and accountants are preparing for the e-invoicing requirement starting in 2026. About 25% of companies currently appear to be ready to send and receive structured electronic invoices. This means that the vast majority of Belgian companies still need to make an effort to be ready in time.

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Tax advisors and accountants also identify these challenges: 70% indicate that less than a quarter of their clients are prepared for the transition to e-invoicing. Yet accountants and tax advisors are taking their responsibility in this transition, as 95% of them say they are actively informing their clients about the new obligations and possibilities. For the average SME, the transition is not that difficult.

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"Moving to an e-invoicing may seem like a big change, but in practice it is easy to implement," says Christophe Vanhoutte, Country Manager Belgium at Unifiedpost. "With user-friendly tools such as Billtobox and the guidance of their accountant, entrepreneurs can quickly get started. It's a smart move that not only helps meet legal obligations, but also saves companies time and resources."

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Most accountants and tax advisors have already taken concrete steps. For example, 47% already have a solution they can offer their clients. The vast majority have prepared an action plan to implement e-invoicing with their clients or will do so in the near future. In addition, 58% of accountants say they are confident of a successful transition to e-invoicing. And rightly so: no one today has nostalgia for paper bank statements, soon the same will be true for invoices.

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Accountants as drivers of transition

With just over a year to go, swift action is needed. Accountants play a key role here in three key areas:

• Disclosure: 95% of accountants actively take responsibility for making clients aware of the obligation and benefits of e-invoicing.
• Implementation of systems: Although 47% have already implemented systems for clients, further guidance is essential to get more companies ready.
• Guidance during transition: Accountants act as partners supporting companies in choosing the right tools and adapting their processes.

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According to Bart Van Coile, president of the ITAA: "The transition to e-invoicing is an obligation, but also an opportunity for companies to optimize their processes. It is essential that companies act now to meet the 2026 deadline. Accountants and tax advisors play a crucial role in this by guiding companies. This is evidenced by the fact that 85% of members have prepared an action plan or will do so in the near future."

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Conclusion: time for action

With the introduction of the e-invoicing obligation on Jan. 1, 2026, Belgian companies need to prepare quickly. Accountants and tax advisors play a key role in this by supporting companies in choosing and implementing systems and guiding them during the transition.

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Download the full report for more information

The full results of the survey are available in Dutch and French.

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About ITAA and Unifiedpost Group

Since 2017, ITAA and Unifiedpost Group, the parent company behind Billtobox, have been working together to support accountants and business owners in the transition to e-invoicing. This partnership provides secure, flexible and affordable solutions to make businesses ready for the future while respecting the legislation, independence and professional secrecy of ITAA members.

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ITAA: The ITAA is responsible for the organization of the accounting and tax adviser professions, including access to the profession, management of the public register and supervision of professional practice. The ITAA represents nearly 15,000 members (natural persons), including about 3,500 trainees. Together with office staff, there are about 35,000 people employed in the sector. These 35,000 people serve 99% of companies in Belgium, especially SMEs. ITAA members are subject to strict deontological rules and rules of professional competence that guarantee the quality of their advice and their independence. This also serves the public interest.

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Unifiedpost Group: Unifiedpost is a leading cloud-based platform for business services to SMEs, based on "Documents", "Identity" and "Payments". Unifiedpost manages and develops a 100% cloud-based platform for administrative and financial services that enables real-time connections between customers, suppliers, partners and other parties in the financial value chain. With its one-stop-shop solutions, Unifiedpost aims to make administrative and financial processes simple and smart for its customers.