What is PEPPOL?
PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) is an international network for the electronic exchange of business documents. Originally developed for public procurement in Europe, PEPPOL is now used worldwide by businesses and authorities.
How PEPPOL Works
PEPPOL functions like an email system for business documents. Instead of sending invoices via email, post, or fax, they are transmitted through the PEPPOL network – structured, secure, and machine-readable.
Each participant has a unique PEPPOL-ID that functions like an email address. Documents are sent via certified Access Points that handle the technical connection to the network.
Advantages of PEPPOL
Secure Transmission: Unlike email, documents are transmitted encrypted via certified Access Points. Only providers certified under strict requirements handle the transport, and every delivery is documented.
International Reach: PEPPOL connects businesses in over 40 countries – from Europe to Australia and Singapore.
Legal Compliance: The network meets legal requirements for electronic invoices in many countries.
Safer than ordinary email
| Ordinary email | PEPPOL | |
|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality in transit | Can be read | Encrypted end to end |
| Sender authenticity | Phishing & spoofing possible | Only certified providers |
| Delivery | No confirmation, can get lost | Confirmed and traceable |
| Logging | No reliable proof | Every step is logged |
| Format | Arbitrary, error-prone | Validated standard format |
The PEPPOL-ID
Every participant in the PEPPOL network is identified by a unique identifier. This PEPPOL-ID consists of two parts:
:
Schema-ID: Prefix indicating the type of identifier.
Participant-ID: The actual identification number of the company.
PEPPOL in Practice
In many European countries, PEPPOL is already the standard for invoicing public sector clients. Belgium is introducing mandatory PEPPOL for B2B transactions from 2026.
To use PEPPOL, you need a certified Access Point. GrandTotal offers integration with e-invoice.be and recommand.eu – two Belgian PEPPOL Access Points.
Not a central surveillance system
PEPPOL is a decentralized transport network: documents travel directly from the sender's Access Point to the recipient's Access Point – much like an email between two email providers, but encrypted end to end along the way so no one in between can read it. There is no central body that collects or reads all invoices – unlike government clearance systems, where every invoice first passes through a public authority.
The Access Points involved process the documents technically, but are contractually bound by the PEPPOL framework and data protection rules.
PEPPOL vs. PEPPOL BIS
PEPPOL refers to the network itself – the technical infrastructure with Access Points and identification system.
PEPPOL BIS (Business Interoperability Specifications) are the standardized business processes and document formats exchanged over PEPPOL. BIS 3.0 defines, for example, how an invoice must be structured in UBL format (Universal Business Language) – an XML standard for electronic business documents.
PEPPOL at a Glance
International Network
Over 40 countries worldwide connected
Unique Identification
Each participant has a PEPPOL-ID
Certified Access Points
Secure connection to the network
Structured Data
Machine-readable invoice formats
Automatic Processing
Direct integration into accounting systems
Legally Compliant
Meets national e-invoicing regulations