The 2026 Turning Point: A Freelancer’s Guide to Mandatory E-Invoicing in Europe

As your trusted partner in freelancing, we’re here to keep you up to date on major changes for independent talent in the countries where we operate. This lets you focus on the important stuff: sending off a response to your next brief. 

For decades, sending a PDF via email has been the standard for freelancer billing. However, a significant transition is underway across Europe. Many countries where Malt operates—starting with Belgium and France in 2026—are implementing domestic e-invoicing mandates to modernize tax collection and B2B transactions. These local laws are the first step in a broader European alignment under the “VAT in the Digital Age” (or ViDA) initiative, which will eventually standardize electronic reporting for all intra-EU transactions.

For freelancers, this  means that traditional PDFs will no longer be legally valid for B2B transactions. While Malt automates your outgoing invoices by integrating eInvoicing standards, you are now required to choose a certified provider or platform in order to receive your incoming electronic invoices. 

There are a few specific steps you must take to secure your business moving forward. We’ve got you covered with a full guide on how to stay compliant, and avoid any potential penalties from your local tax authorities.

The rollout is happening progressively across Europe, from January 1, 2026. See more information regarding the main countries Malt operates in below:

Administrative changes like this can be overwhelming - but you’re in good hands on Malt. Let’s review what we take care of, versus what extra steps you need to take yourself. 

Here is the breakdown:

• Malt’s Responsibility: As always, we create compliant invoices on your behalf, respecting all local and international regulations. Technically speaking, we transform your project details into the appropriate mandatory machine-readable format, timestamp it for tax validity, and send it to your client.
• Your Responsibility: You must select an "endpoint" (a Peppol Access Point) where the invoices you receive are officially archived. See the steps below to ensure you’re in the green. 

To meet these requirements and avoid unnecessary fines, follow these three steps: 

1. Subscribe to a Certified Access Point

It is not possible to receive e-invoices through a standard inbox. You need a "digital mailbox" on the Peppol network. In France, this is called a “plateforme agréée” (PA, formerly PDP).

• Why? Freelancers will receive both the service fees and the self-billing invoices. For the latter, they will need to check with their AP that they are able to retrieve the self-billing invoices emitted by Malt. Tip: We recommend using one of our integrated partners.

2. Verify your VAT/Registration Number on Malt

The e-invoicing network routes documents using your official tax ID. If your VAT or other official tax registration number in your Malt settings is outdated or contains a typo, the network cannot find your "mailbox," and your invoices will fail to deliver.

• Action: Double-check your tax identification number in your Malt profile now.

3. Enable "Self-Billing" on your chosen platform

Because Malt creates invoices on your behalf, your new e-invoicing platform needs your permission to "accept" these third-party documents. Once you've chosen a provider, ensure the "Self-billing" or "Third-party billing" option is toggled ON.

Compliance shouldn't just be for your Malt projects. You can ensure your entire business is compliant by bringing your outside clients to Malt. By bringing your own client onto Malt, you can manage e-invoicing for your existing clients with 0-2% commission fees. You get the compliance security, and they get a streamlined, legal payment process.

For those who want to dig deeper, this change comes as a proposed solution to a so-called “VAT Gap" of an estimated €93 billion loss in VAT revenue annually across the continent, due partially to fraud but also because of administrative errors. This change affects not only freelancers, but also any B2B invoicing for services rendered. The solution, officially called “ViDA” (short for “VAT in the Digital Age”) was formally adopted by the Council of the European Union on March 11, 2025.

Deep-dive into our FAQ page or contact our support team at [email protected]. 

Setup your Access Point today, and get ahead of the curve to prevent any administrative fines or blocked payments.