From March 2024, it is mandatory to send invoices to the government, with a contract value above 3,000 euros, in a structured electronic format via Peppol. The Flemish government has even gone a step further in this regard and has already introduced this obligation earlier, for all invoices, regardless of the amount. Some local governments are following suit and requiring all invoices to be sent in a structured format. So it's smart to check with the relevant government agency to see exactly what the requirements are.

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Why is it mandatory to send e-invoices to the government?

The main reason governments prefer e-invoices is because they can process them much faster and more efficiently. This is because the government can read these invoices directly with their software, making time-consuming manual entry a thing of the past.

In addition, e-invoicing to governments, or B2G (Business to Government) invoicing, is required by a European directive. Thanks to the European Standard, companies can now easily invoice various governments across Europe, all in the same format.

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How does e-invoicing to the government work?

All government e-invoices are processed in Belgium through the government platform Mercurius. This platform, managed by the Federal Public Service BOSA, serves as the government's digital mailroom. Suppliers log into the portal to send invoices to the government from there or to track the status of their invoices (such as "processed," "received," "refused").

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Send invoices to the government via Billtobox

Want to make it even easier on yourself? With Billtobox you no longer have to create or upload your invoices in Mercurius. Billtobox takes care of the complete processing and sending of your invoices to the government. Moreover, you store all your invoices conveniently in one place, and they are automatically shared with your accountant. Via Mercurius you can still consult the payment status of your invoices.

Creating and sending an invoice through Billtobox is easy and quick. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Create a new client in Billtobox and enter the details of the government agency. Billtobox automatically recognizes that this agency uses Peppol and suggests it as the preferred channel.
2. Create a new invoice and make sure the government agency is entered as the customer. Then click send.

Your first invoice to the government has now been successfully sent. You can track the status of your invoice via the Mercurius Portal, where you can log in with itsme or your eID.

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Want to learn more about sending e-invoices to the government or need help setting up your invoicing process? Feel free to contact us. We are ready to support you with all your questions and help you invoice smoothly and efficiently through Peppol and Billtobox.

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Useful links

• Login Mercurius Portal
• Explanation Mercurius on BOSA site