Mandatory e-invoicing in Finland
Finland is one of the leaders in digitization in Europe and has been using mandatory e-invoicing in B2G transactions for many years.
Since 2010, all entities supplying goods and services to the public sector must send invoices in a structured format. The current standards are Finvoice and TEAPPSXML, both of which comply with EN 16931.
In B2B transactions, e-invoicing is not yet mandatory, but its use is widespread. What's more, as of 2020, every company in Finland has the right to require its counterparty to send invoices only electronically. In practice, this means that e-invoicing has become a market standard.
Looking ahead to the EU, Finland is preparing for full implementation of the "VAT in the Digital Age" (ViDA) package, which will make e-invoicing mandatory across the EU.
Guide to e-invoicing
Navigating the regulations for the National e-Invoicing System can be a challenge, but with the right knowledge, compliance becomes easy. Our comprehensive eBook on e-invoicing in Poland and around the world contains everything you need to implement seamless e-invoicing, ensure compliance and optimize your financial processes.
E-invoicing standards in Finland
The Finnish e-invoicing system is decentralized and based on structured XML formats, compliant with the EN 16931 standard. Document exchange takes place through a national network of operators and, increasingly, through Peppol.
The main components of the system are:
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Finvoice - the most widely used nationale-invoice standard based on XML, developed by Finnish banks,
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TEAPPSXML - an alternative e-invoicing standard used mainly by business solution providers,
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E-invoicing operators - private service providers that mediate the exchange of e-invoices between companies and in B2G,
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Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 - an international standard supported by Finland, used in cross-border exchanges and increasingly in B2B.
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Will foreign entities registered for VAT in Poland also be required to issue e-invoices?
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Will all sales invoices have to be issued as e-invoices, or only those for domestic contractors?
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Will it be possible to send invoices (individually or in bulk) without using the API, through an interface accessible to employees?
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Will the invoice issuer be able to download the invoice image from KSeF to print or email to the contractor?
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How will attachments to invoices, such as energy consumption reports or protocols, be provided to contractors?
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Can the retention period of invoices be extended, and if not, how should they be stored after 10 years?
