PEPPOL

In an implementation of Peppol, a single central database known as a Service Metadata Locator (SML) lists participants with a unique identifier, the electronic procurement standards supported by each participant and reference to a separate database known as a Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) that each participant has chosen. A Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) extends the information listed on a participant to include technical information on a web application programming interface known as an Access Point (AP) chosen by each participant to deliver procurement documents.{{Cite web |title=Peppol Network documentation|url=https://peppol.org/documentation/technical-documentation/edelivery-documentation/|website=peppol.org|access-date=21 August 2024}}

For the primary implementation used worldwide, OpenPeppol, as the governing body, operates the Service Metadata Locator (SML). OpenPeppol only allows participants to be listed in this database if they have registered with an OpenPeppol approved Service Metadata Publisher (SMP). Approval of Service Metadata Publishers (SMPs) is delegated by OpenPeppol to one of numerous country-specific Peppol Authorities (PAs){{Cite web|url=https://peppol.org/members/peppol-authorities/|title=Peppol Authorities|website=peppol.org|accessdate=May 24, 2025}} and is also contingent on candidate Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) organisations being paid members of OpenPeppol. A Peppol Authority (PA) is typically an individual government body for a country and they may impose differing requirements and technical standards on Service Metadata Publishers (SMPs) prior to approval being granted.

Delivery of information in an implementation of Peppol occurs directly between the chosen Access Point (AP) of a sender and receiver, as obtained via the discovery process using the Service Metadata Locator (SML) and relevant Service Metadata Publishers (SMPs). A protocol named eDelivery AS4{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/cefdigital/wiki/display/CEFDIGITAL/eDelivery+AS4+-+1.15|title=eDelivery AS4 - 1.15|website=ec.europa.eu|accessdate=May 24, 2025}} (based on AS4) is used to deliver procurement documents between Access Points (APs). Transport Layer Security is used and electronic documents will only be accepted by a receiving Access Point (AP) if the payload has been validated by another submitting Access Point (AP), providing a level of fraud protection against phishing and other confidence tricks.

For the primary implementation used worldwide, OpenPeppol, as the governing body, delegates responsibility to Peppol Authorities (PAs) to approve Access Point (AP) service providers.{{Cite web|url=https://peppol.org/members/peppol-certified-service-providers/|title=Peppol Certified Service Providers|website=peppol.org|accessdate=May 24, 2025}} Approval of Access Point (AP) service providers is additionally contingent on the service provider being a paid member of OpenPeppol. Peppol Authorities (PAs) may impose additional differing requirements and technical standards on Access Point (AP) service providers.

Peppol specification development and the primary implementation are governed by the OpenPeppol Association. The highest managing body is the General Assembly, which elects the Secretary General and the Managing Committee responsible for the operations.{{cite web |title=Organisational Structure |url=https://peppol.org/learn-more/organisation/ |publisher=OpenPeppol}} Development is prepared in the work groups handling specific tasks and owned by a management team member. The work groups function on a volunteer basis, though many of the members are actually sent to the work group by either their employer or client, for example a specific user.{{cite web |title=Join a Work Group |url=https://peppol.org/learn-more/communities-and-work-groups/ |publisher=OpenPeppol}}

Peppol originated via a project with the same name (with an uppercase stylised acronym) under the European Union Competitiveness and Innovation Programme from May 2008 to August 2012. The European Union provided funding of over 15 million Euros to support the development of Peppol.{{Cite web |title=PEPPOL: Digital public procurement across the borders |url=https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/content/peppol-digital-public-procurement-across-borders |publisher=European Commission}} A consortium of 11 European countries being Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom also contributed to the development of Peppol over this period.{{Cite web |title=History of OpenPeppol |url=https://peppol.eu/about-openpeppol/history-of-openpeppol/}}

The goal of the project was to solve interoperability issues in electronic public procurement by aligning business processes using common standards, addressing common legal issues and developing open source technologies.{{Cite web |title=PEPPOL Final Report |url=https://peppol.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20121205_PEPPOL_final_report_v2_4_web.pdf}} Agreement on the common standards for document content and on the technical aspects was reached through consensus amongst consortium members.

After the project ended the OpenPeppol Association was founded in Belgium on the 1st of September 2012 to continue the work on the framework.{{Cite web |title=The Peppol Story |url=https://peppol.org/about/ |publisher=OpenPeppol}}

Peppol is widely used in many European countries:

• Denmark: All public institutions are required to support e-invoicing using Peppol.{{cite web|url=https://peppol.eu/what-is-peppol/peppol-country-profiles/denmark-country-profile/|title=Denmark – Country Profile|publisher=OpenPeppol}}
• Ireland: Public bodies are required to accept e-invoices, and Ireland has chosen Peppol as the supported technology.{{cite web|url=https://ogp.gov.ie/einvoicing/einvoicing-and-public-bodies/|title=Public Bodies and eInvoicing|publisher=Office of Government Procurement}}
• Norway: E-invoicing is mandatory in public institutions with Peppol recommended, and Peppol invoices are widely used.{{cite web|title=Who is ready for PEPPOL in Norway|url=http://www.peppol.eu/news/news_repository/who-is-ready-for-peppol-in-norway|publisher=OpenPeppol|accessdate=2014-03-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225104203/http://www.peppol.eu/news/news_repository/who-is-ready-for-peppol-in-norway/|archivedate=2014-02-25}}
• Austria: E-invoicing is mandatory for the federal government. Peppol is supported as one of the technologies.{{cite web|title=Austria mandates eInvoicing to the public sector, fostering PEPPOL adoption|url=http://www.peppol.eu/news/news_repository/austria-mandates-einvoicing-to-the-public-sector-fostering-peppol-adoption|publisher=OpenPeppol|accessdate=2014-03-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225105525/http://www.peppol.eu/news/news_repository/austria-mandates-einvoicing-to-the-public-sector-fostering-peppol-adoption/|archivedate=2014-02-25}}
• Italy: E-invoicing is mandatory in Italy. The Italian Peppol Authority is managed by AgID, the agency for digital transformation of the Italian public sector, and was established through initiatives directed by Roberto Reale{{cite web|title=About PEPPOL|url=https://peppol.agid.gov.it/en/about-us/about-peppol/|publisher=AGID|accessdate=2021-08-21|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822223508/https://peppol.agid.gov.it/en/about-us/about-peppol/|archivedate=2021-08-22}} and Carmen Ciciriello.
• Sweden: Accepting Peppol is mandatory in the public sector.{{cite web|title=OpenPEPPOL Position Paper on the proposed directive on e-invoicing in public procurement|url=http://www.peppol.eu/news/openpeppol-position-paper-on-the-proposed-directive-on-e-invoicing-in-public-procurement-1/view|publisher=OpenPeppol|page=10|accessdate=2014-03-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222052420/http://www.peppol.eu/news/openpeppol-position-paper-on-the-proposed-directive-on-e-invoicing-in-public-procurement-1/view|archivedate=2014-02-22}}{{cite web|title=Sweden estimates savings of 380 million euro with standardised electronic orders|url=http://www.peppol.eu/news/openpeppol-news-2013/sweden-estimates-savings-of-380-million-euro-with-standardised-electronic-orders|publisher=OpenPeppol|accessdate=2014-03-24|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225211610/http://www.peppol.eu/news/openpeppol-news-2013/sweden-estimates-savings-of-380-million-euro-with-standardised-electronic-orders/|archivedate=2014-02-25}}
• Germany: Public bodies are required to accept Peppol e-invoices.{{Cite web|url=https://www.xoev.de/peppol/peppol_national_specifics_english_version-21467|title=National specifics in the Peppol Network|publisher=Koordinierungsstelle für IT-Standards}}
• UK: Peppol is an "integral part" of the English National Health Service's eProcurement Strategy.Royal Cornwall Hospitals, [https://www.scan4safety.nhs.uk/the-standards/peppol/index.html PEPPOL], Scan4Safety, accessed 1 April 2023 Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL) / NHS Supply Chain uses Peppol formats extensively in the English NHS: supplier use became mandatory on 1 October 2019.NHS Supply Chain, [https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/news-article/important-announcement-about-moving-to-peppol/ Important Announcement About Moving to PEPPOL], updated 16 October 2021, accessed 1 April 2023 Crown Commercial Service formerly operated a framework agreement allowing public bodies to access Peppol services,Crown Commercial Service, [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/600708/4633-17_NHS_quartly_update_March__2_.pdf Quarterly NHS Update], March 2017, accessed 1 April 2023 although this is no longer available.
• Finland: Suppliers to the Finnish government must be able to exchange Peppol order and order response messages.{{Cite web |title=Finland |url=https://peppol.org/learn-more/country-profiles/finland/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=OpenPeppol |language=en-US}}
• Netherlands: While Peppol e-invoicing is not mandatory in the Netherlands, the central government strongly advises its use. {{Cite web |title=Netherlands |url=https://peppol.org/learn-more/country-profiles/netherlands/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=OpenPeppol |language=en-US}}
• Belgium: B2B invoicing mandatory from January 1, 2026. Adopting the Peppol approach in B2G eInvoicing and promoting its adoption for B2B exchanges.{{Cite web |title=Belgium |url=https://peppol.org/learn-more/country-profiles/belgium/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=OpenPeppol |language=en-US}}

Outside Europe, Singapore became the first Peppol Authority outside Europe in May 2018. Its Nationwide E-invoicing Initiative is based on the Peppol technologies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-to-implement-e-invoice-framework-based-on-europe-s-10255456|title=Singapore to implement e-invoice framework based on Europe’s PEPPOL|publisher=CNA|date=22 May 2018|first=Kamini|last=Devadass}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.imda.gov.sg/programme-listing/nationwide-e-invoicing-framework|title=Nationwide E-Invoicing Initiative|publisher=Infocomm Media Development Authority}} In Japan, Digital Agency, Government of Japan became a Peppol Authority in September 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.digital.go.jp/policies/electronic_invoice|title=JP PINT｜デジタル庁|date=May 23, 2025|website=www.digital.go.jp|accessdate=May 24, 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://tax-newsletter.com/windows-of-tax/pan-european-public-procurement-on-line/peppol-introduction|title=Reference to PEPPOL in JAPAN}}

Peppol has also been considered as the e-invoicing solution in Australia and New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/australia-and-new-zealand-peppol-localisation-consultation/|title=Australia and New Zealand PEPPOL Localisation Consultation|publisher=Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, New Zealand}} Malaysia introduced Peppol e-invoicing to drive digital transformation and in alignment with its national e-invoicing framework.{{Cite web |title=National E-Invoicing |url=https://mdec.my/national-einvoicing |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=mdec.my |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://peppol.org/ peppol.org]
• [http://peppol.eu/ PEPPOL.eu]
• [https://directory.peppol.eu/ Peppol Directory]
• [https://www.unifiedpostgroup.com/ Unifiedpost Group]
• [https://www.billtobox.com/be-en/ Billtobox]

Category:Accounting software

Category:Business software

Category:Electronic data interchange