The European Parliament’s ViDA package introduces mandatory e‑invoicing and near real‑time digital reporting for cross‑border EU transactions from 1 July 2030, requiring the EU electronic invoicing format. Businesses must report transaction data within 10 days of the taxable event, and member states may extend domestic e‑invoicing to before, on, or after that date with transitional periods up to 2035. The initiative aims to harmonise VAT rules, reduce fraud, and lower compliance costs across the EU.

Slovakia’s Financial Administration has released accreditation requirements for digital postmen and announced a mandatory e‑invoicing mandate for domestic taxpayers from 1 January 2027, expanding to cross‑border transactions on 1 July 2030. The draft law requires e‑invoices in the EN16931 format and allows voluntary testing with certified providers starting spring 2026.

New Zealand GST invoices must be issued within 27 days of the supply and retained for at least seven years. They must contain specific details such as supplier and customer information, invoice date, description, taxable amount, GST, and gross amount. Invoices below NZD 1,000 may omit customer details and detailed GST calculations, and no tax invoice is required for supplies of NZD 50 or less.

New Zealand’s Inland Revenue explains how e‑invoicing works, the benefits, and the changes to GST record‑keeping that took effect on 1 April 2023. The guidance notes that e‑invoices are exchanged via the Peppol network and that suppliers are encouraged to send them instead of PDFs.

Austria is modernising its fiscal cash register regime from 2026, raising the small‑seller exemption threshold to €45,000, making the 15‑product‑group recording rule permanent, and allowing optional digital receipts from 1 October 2026. Paper receipts remain available on request, while core security features such as secure recording, digital signatures and QR‑coded receipts stay unchanged.

Belgium has mandated electronic invoicing for VAT‑registered organisations since 1 January 2026. However, widespread technical problems with the Peppol platform and accounting software have caused invoices to be lost, duplicated or delayed, threatening to miss the 25 January VAT‑return deadline. Accountants have requested a three‑day extension and exemption from penalties if the issues can be proven.

The article argues that structured e-invoicing is essential for real-time compliance, contrasting it with static PDF invoices that are likened to paper maps. It highlights the limitations of PDFs in modern tax and audit contexts and stresses the need for machine‑enforceable, globally standardised data objects. The piece serves as a commentary on the evolving expectations of tax authorities and the strategic importance of real‑time visibility for CFOs.