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France will enforce e-invoicing for B2B transactions from 1 September 2026, requiring all VAT‑registered businesses to receive and issue invoices in UBL, CII, or Factur‑X formats via certified dematerialisation platforms. The obligation extends to SMEs and micro‑businesses on 1 September 2027, and the Business Directory based on SIREN numbers will replace email addresses for recipient identification.
The blog explains that ISO 27001 certification is becoming a mandatory requirement for e‑invoicing platforms in several jurisdictions, notably France, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. It outlines the key dates, such as France’s September 2026 deadline and the October 2025 completion of the ISO 27001:2022 transition, and details the certification’s three‑year validity and surveillance audit schedule.
Global e-Invoicing Requirements Tracker
The French e-reporting framework complements e-invoicing by capturing B2C, cross-border B2B and certain payment transactions through Flow 10 (F10). Flow 6 (F6) confirms acceptance or rejection of the reporting file. Reporting frequency and deadlines vary by VAT regime, with standard monthly taxpayers submitting transaction data three times a month and payment data once, all due 10 days after each period.
The French Tax Authority issued guidance on March 4, 2026 clarifying VAT obligations for dropshipping operations that do not use the IOSS. The guidance sets thresholds for import VAT liability, specifies when the seller or consumer is responsible, and requires non‑EU sellers to appoint a tax representative. It also defines the place of taxation for cross‑border distance sales.
France’s 2026 Finance Law introduces stricter penalties for non‑compliance with the upcoming e‑invoicing and e‑reporting regime, effective from 1 September 2026. The law sets €50 fines per non‑approved invoice, progressive penalties for failing to receive e‑invoices, and €500 per missing e‑reporting transmission, capped at €15,000 annually. A first‑offence tolerance allows penalty waivers if errors are corrected within 30 days.
France has issued guidance clarifying VAT obligations for dropshippers who do not use the IOSS scheme. The ruling specifies that parcels below €150 are cleared in the final destination Member State and the seller is not liable for French VAT, while parcels above €150 trigger import VAT liability in France. It also outlines conditions under which the customer or seller bears import VAT when goods are delivered within France and requires non‑EU sellers to register and possibly appoint a French tax representative.
The article explains how usage‑based billing models in AI and SaaS create VAT compliance challenges, including timing of tax points, prepaid credits, hybrid pricing, tiered pricing, and the need for visibility into billing systems. It stresses that tax teams must engage early with product, billing, and finance to manage risk.
The article explains how usage‑based billing models—common in AI and SaaS—create complex VAT timing issues. It outlines when VAT is due for prepaid credits, hybrid pricing, tiered discounts, and the risks of delayed data processing. Tax teams are urged to embed VAT rules into billing workflows early to avoid compliance gaps.
France will enforce a comprehensive e‑invoicing and e‑reporting regime from 1 September 2026. Large and mid‑size enterprises must issue and receive electronic invoices immediately, while SMEs and micro‑enterprises will join the rollout in 2027. The reform covers domestic B2B, B2C, and cross‑border transactions, with special rules for overseas territories.
France’s e‑invoicing reform, which began on 1 September 2026, extends to foreign VAT‑registered businesses without a permanent establishment. These non‑resident firms must use an accredited platform to transmit e‑reporting data from September 2027, but are not required to issue French e‑invoices. Reporting is high‑frequency, with normal‑regime businesses filing three times a month and simplified‑regime businesses filing monthly.
France's 2026 Finance Law introduces several VAT changes, including extending the 5.5% reduced rate to refrigeration energy and air transport in overseas departments, proroguing the 10% forestry rate until 2028, and tightening e‑invoicing sanctions. It also mandates electronic invoice reception for all VAT‑registered entities from 1 September 2026 and replaces the CGI with the new CIBS code for VAT from the same date.
France has rolled out a comprehensive e‑invoicing and e‑reporting regime that applies to all VAT‑registered businesses. Large and intermediate enterprises must send and receive structured e‑invoices from September 2026, with the sending obligation extended to all businesses by September 2027. The system requires real‑time reporting via Approved Platforms and imposes penalties of up to €15,000 per year for non‑compliance.
The article reports that SAP’s newly approved Platform Agreed (PA) meets French e‑invoicing requirements, but users remain concerned about integration and fixed deadlines. It notes that the reform is already in place in Italy and Mexico and will be extended across the EU in the coming years, with full implementation in France scheduled for 2026.
French VAT reforms introduced on 1 January 2026 now require UK exporters using DDP into France to hold a French VAT number or have an EU-based importer of record. The changes tighten conditions for DDP movements and increase operational and reporting burdens, prompting exporters to reassess provider capabilities. The reforms aim to strengthen compliance and competitive advantage for logistics operators.
VATCalc explains how France’s 2026 reforms are tightening access to Article 143 import VAT relief, requiring non‑EU importers to hold a French VAT registration or an accredited fiscal representative. The EU exemption remains unchanged, but enforcement across the EU is becoming stricter, with the European Court of Auditors pointing out weaknesses in Procedure 42. Businesses must adapt supply chains or adopt technology to meet the new compliance thresholds.
France has introduced a temporary €2 small parcel tax on low‑value imports effective March 1 2026. The tax applies to parcels below €150, is levied per item at the time of import, and will remain in force until the EU‑wide parcel tax takes effect in November 2026, but no later than December 31 2026. The liable party is the person responsible for import VAT on the H7 declaration, covering IOSS users, French VAT registrants, and others.
The French Administrative Court of Appeal of Paris issued Decision No. 25PA00785 on Feb. 4, 2026, clarifying that the ordinary law procedure for VAT refunds for taxable persons outside the EU does not apply when the taxpayer did not carry out transactions during the period. The UK company’s claim for an import VAT credit was partially denied by the Court of Montreuil and upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The 2026 Finance Bill passed on 2 February 2026 establishes mandatory B2B e‑invoicing and B2C e‑reporting in France from 1 September 2026. Article 28 details the platform model, penalties, data transmission requirements and clarifies the roles of approved partner dematerialisation platforms and the Chorus Pro portal.
The French 2026 Finance Bill introduces a €2 customs charge on low‑value imports (≤€150) from non‑EU countries, effective 2026, targeting e‑commerce parcels. The measure is expected to raise about €400 million annually and is part of broader EU customs reforms, including a €3 interim levy from 1 July 2026 and a planned €2 levy across the EU by 2028.
The French Administrative Court of Appeal of Paris issued Decision No. 24PA02339 on Jan. 30, 2026, clarifying a company's liability for corporate income tax, social contributions, VAT, and payroll tax, and its eligibility for research tax credits. The court found the audit was not irregular and that a director’s driving course expense was not professional, granting only partial relief.