Germany is preparing XRechnung 4.0, the next major version of its national e‑invoice standard, to align with the revised EN 16931‑1:2026. The new standard will break the one‑order‑one‑delivery rule, add B2B‑specific fields, and will not be backward compatible with XRechnung 3.0. Businesses must plan for the transition as the German e‑invoicing mandate requires all e‑invoices by 1 January 2028, likely using XRechnung 4.0.
EN 16931‑1:2026 is expected to be formally published by mid‑2026, after which KoSIT will release a pre‑release XRechnung 4.0 specification; the full production‑ready package will be available once CEN delivers updated syntax bindings, with a formal vote scheduled for July 2026.
It removes the one‑order‑one‑delivery rule, redesigns the data model to support B2B requirements, adds new B2B fields (bank account info, cash discounts, payment terms, penalties, buyer identifiers), and introduces an extensions framework for industry‑specific fields.
The mandate requires all businesses to issue e‑invoices by 1 January 2028, and XRechnung 4.0 is expected to be the operative format by that date, so companies must transition from older versions before then.
No; invoices that validate under XRechnung 3.0 will not necessarily validate under 4.0, and vice versa, so systems and providers must update their e‑invoice modules accordingly.
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The Invoicing Hub · 2 days ago
Germany’s KoSIT confirms progress on XRechnung 4.0, aligning with the forthcoming EN 16931‑1:2026 standard. The article outlines key milestones: the EN 16931 release in March 2026, XRechnung 4.0 specification in the second half of 2026, mandatory electronic invoicing for all German businesses by 2028, and national and intra‑community VAT reporting from July 2030.
Vatvocate · 9 days ago
The Xyrality case (C‑459/24) clarifies that e‑commerce platforms can be treated as suppliers for VAT purposes, meaning VAT is due on the full transaction amount, not just the platform fee. The ruling confirms that Article 28 creates a deemed supply chain when an intermediary acts in its own name but on behalf of the actual provider, and that Article 9a’s presumption cannot be rebutted if the platform authorises the charge, delivers the service, or sets the general terms. Platforms dominating the customer relationship must therefore reassess their VAT obligations.
EPPO · 20 days ago
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) launched an EU‑wide investigation into a cross‑border VAT carousel fraud scheme involving luxury cars, estimating tax damage of over €103 million. Nine suspects were detained in Czechia and Germany, with more than 150 searches carried out in nine EU countries and assets seized worth €13.5 million. The offences span the period 2017‑2025.
Meyka · about 1 month ago
German economists warn that a shift from the current 19% VAT to 21% is possible amid weak growth and tight budgets. A 21% rate would raise gross prices of VAT‑able goods by about 1.68% and create a short‑term inflation bump, especially impacting discretionary sectors such as retail, e‑commerce, and hospitality.
e-invoice.app · about 1 month ago
Germany’s national e‑invoicing mandate requires all businesses to receive structured invoices from January 2025 and to transmit them by revenue thresholds, with full coverage by January 2028. The system accepts XRechnung, ZUGFeRD and Peppol BIS formats, all EN 16931 compliant, and mandates 8‑year electronic archiving under GoBD. Non‑compliance can trigger VAT deduction denial, GoBD violations and administrative fines.
TaxAndBytes · about 1 month ago
The post highlights that the German BMF letter dated 15 Oct 2025 requires e‑invoices to be fully and correctly validated for VAT recognition. It points out common validator shortcomings—such as incomplete EN 16931 checks, superficial VAT checks, and lack of audit‑proof documentation—and warns that many validators only verify the existence of data fields, allowing invoices with missing content to be accepted.
