The Peppol Network — A Complete Guide to European E-Invoicing Infrastructure
Everything you need to know about the Peppol network: how it works, access points, SMP/SML, supported countries, and how to get connected.
What is the Peppol network?
Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) is a standardized infrastructure for exchanging electronic business documents — primarily invoices — across borders. Originally developed for EU public procurement, Peppol is now the de facto standard for B2B and B2G e-invoicing in over 35 countries.
The network uses a four-corner model: sender → sender's access point → receiver's access point → receiver. This decentralized architecture means any Peppol participant can exchange documents with any other participant, regardless of their access point provider.
Peppol is governed by OpenPeppol, a non-profit association based in Brussels. The technical standards are open and freely available.
How Peppol works: the four-corner model
The Peppol infrastructure relies on three key components:
Access Points (AP)
Certified service providers that connect businesses to the Peppol network. Think of them as email providers — you connect through one AP and can reach any participant on any other AP. Each AP implements the AS4 messaging protocol.
Service Metadata Publisher (SMP)
A registry that tells senders where to find a specific receiver. When you send an invoice to a business, the SMP lookup returns which access point handles their traffic and which document types they can receive.
Service Metadata Locator (SML)
A DNS-based directory that maps participant identifiers to their SMP. The SML is the entry point for all Peppol lookups — it tells you which SMP to query for a given business.
Supported countries and adoption
Peppol adoption varies significantly across Europe:
Mandatory for B2G: Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand. These countries require Peppol for public procurement invoicing.
Widely adopted for B2B: Belgium, Netherlands, Nordic countries, Ireland, UK (post-Brexit via Peppol), Germany (growing), France (via ODP platforms).
Emerging: Spain, Portugal, Poland, Austria, and several other EU member states are integrating Peppol into their national e-invoicing frameworks.
Getting connected to Peppol
How to join the Peppol network:
Step 1: Choose an access point
Select a certified Peppol access point provider. Major providers include Basware, Pagero, Unifiedpost, Storecove, and many regional specialists. Prices range from per-document fees to flat monthly subscriptions.
Step 2: Register your identifier
Your AP will register your business in the Peppol network using your identifier (e.g., Belgian enterprise number with scheme 0208, Dutch KvK with 0106, or VAT number with 9925). This makes you discoverable by other Peppol participants.
Step 3: Configure document types
Specify which document types you can send and receive (typically Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 Invoice and CreditNote). Your AP registers these capabilities in the SMP.
Step 4: Test and go live
Test with your AP using the Peppol test environment. Validate your invoices with ValidateFin before sending. Once testing is complete, switch to the production network.
Validate before sending
Before submitting invoices to the Peppol network, validate them against Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 rules. ValidateFin checks UBL schema, business rules, and EN 16931 compliance — all in your browser, no file uploaded.
Open UBL ValidatorFrequently Asked Questions
Is Peppol free to use?
The Peppol standards are free and open. However, you need to pay an access point provider for network connectivity. Costs vary from a few cents per document to flat monthly fees depending on volume and provider.
How many businesses are on Peppol?
As of 2025, over 350,000 businesses are registered on the Peppol network across 35+ countries. The number is growing rapidly as more countries mandate e-invoicing.
Can I use Peppol for documents other than invoices?
Yes. Peppol supports orders, order responses, despatch advice, catalogues, and more. However, invoicing (BIS Billing 3.0) is by far the most widely used document type.
What is the difference between Peppol and CHORUS Pro?
Chorus Pro is France's government platform for B2G invoicing. Peppol is a pan-European network. They can interoperate: French ODPs (private platforms) can connect to both Chorus Pro and the Peppol network.
Do I need Peppol for B2B invoicing?
It depends on your country. Belgium and Netherlands strongly promote Peppol for B2B. Germany and France accept Peppol but also support other channels. Peppol's advantage is interoperability — one connection reaches all participants.
Can I change my access point provider?
Yes. Peppol's four-corner model ensures portability. You can switch AP providers without affecting your trading partners. The new AP updates your SMP registration.
What is AS4?
AS4 is the messaging protocol used by Peppol access points to exchange documents. It provides security (encryption, digital signatures), reliability (guaranteed delivery), and non-repudiation.
How do I find if my trading partner is on Peppol?
You can look up any business on the Peppol network using the Peppol Directory (directory.peppol.eu) or by querying the SML/SMP infrastructure programmatically.
Is Peppol secure?
Yes. All document exchanges are encrypted, digitally signed, and authenticated. Access points must pass a certification process. The four-corner model ensures no single party has access to all traffic.
Will Peppol become mandatory across the EU?
The EU ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) directive is pushing for real-time digital reporting. While not directly mandating Peppol, many member states are choosing Peppol as their implementation vehicle, making it the practical standard.