What Is Peppol? The Complete Guide for DACH Businesses
If you run a business in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, you have probably heard the term “Peppol” with increasing frequency. Your accountant may have mentioned it. A trading partner may have asked for your “Peppol ID.” An article about e-invoicing mandates may have referenced it. But what exactly is Peppol, how does it work, and what does it mean for your business?
This guide explains everything DACH businesses need to know about Peppol — from the basics of the network to the specific mandates and formats relevant to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Peppol: The Basics
What Peppol Is
Peppol stands for Pan-European Public Procurement Online. It is an international framework consisting of a network, a set of standards, and a governance structure that enables businesses and governments to exchange electronic documents — primarily invoices, but also orders, catalogues, and dispatch advices.
Think of Peppol as the postal system for business documents. Just as you can send a letter from Zurich to Berlin without knowing how Deutsche Post or Die Post routes it internally, Peppol lets you send an e-invoice from your business to any other Peppol-connected business without worrying about technical compatibility.
Who Governs Peppol
OpenPeppol, a non-profit association based in Brussels, governs the Peppol network. OpenPeppol sets the standards, certifies Access Point providers, and coordinates national Peppol Authorities. As of 2026, Peppol operates in over 40 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America.
Key Numbers
- 40+ countries connected to the Peppol network
- 300+ million documents exchanged annually
- Thousands of certified Access Points worldwide
- Growing at 30-40% year over year in transaction volume
How Peppol Works: The Four-Corner Model
Peppol uses what is called the four-corner model, which is the same architecture used by credit card networks. Here is how it works.
The Four Corners
- Corner 1 — The Sender: Your business. You create an invoice and submit it to your Access Point.
- Corner 2 — The Sender’s Access Point (AP): Your Peppol provider. It validates the invoice, looks up the recipient in the Peppol directory, and routes the document.
- Corner 3 — The Receiver’s Access Point (AP): Your trading partner’s Peppol provider. It receives the document and delivers it to the recipient.
- Corner 4 — The Receiver: Your trading partner. They receive the invoice in their system.
Why This Matters
The four-corner model means:
- No bilateral agreements needed. You do not need to negotiate file formats, transmission protocols, or security certificates with each trading partner. Peppol handles all of this.
- Any-to-any connectivity. Once you are on the network, you can reach any other participant, even if they use a different Access Point provider.
- Provider independence. You can switch your Access Point provider without affecting your trading partners. Your Peppol ID stays the same.
Peppol IDs and the Directory
Every participant has a unique Peppol ID, typically based on their VAT number (DE + 9 digits for Germany, ATU + 8 digits for Austria, CHE-XXX.XXX.XXX for Switzerland). This ID is registered in Peppol’s decentralised directory. When you send an invoice, your Access Point automatically looks up the recipient’s ID, finds their Access Point, and routes the document — all in the background.
E-Invoicing Mandates in the DACH Region
The urgency around Peppol adoption varies significantly across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Here is the current state in each country.
DACH Mandate Overview
| Country | B2G | B2B Receive | B2B Issue | Peppol Authority | Certified ASPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Since 2020 (XRechnung) | Jan 2025 — already live | 2027 (large) / 2028 (all) | KoSIT, Bremen | 30+ |
| Austria | Since 2014 (e-rechnung.gv.at) | Voluntary | Voluntary | None (OpenPeppol) | 3 |
| Switzerland | Since 2016 (CHF 5k+) | Voluntary | Voluntary | None (OpenPeppol) | 2 only |
Germany (Deutschland)
Germany has the most aggressive timeline. The receive obligation is already in force — if your business cannot accept structured e-invoices today, you are behind. From 2027, businesses with turnover above EUR 800,000 must also issue e-invoices, and by 2028 every German business must comply. Accepted formats include XRechnung, ZUGFeRD 2.x, and Peppol BIS 3.0. Over 30 certified ASPs operate in Germany, including SAP, SEEBURGER, and Deutsche Telekom MMS.
Austria (Oesterreich)
Austria mandated B2G e-invoicing in 2014 via e-rechnung.gv.at, which accepts both Peppol BIS 3.0 and ebInterface. B2B remains voluntary, but only 3 certified ASPs serve the country (Bundesrechenzentrum, DIG GmbH, Porsche Informatik) — and one is a government body, another is automotive-sector focused. Austrian businesses trading with Germany or Belgium already need Peppol connectivity to meet their partners’ mandates.
Switzerland (Schweiz)
Switzerland has no B2B mandate, but only 2 certified Peppol ASPs exist (Btwentyfour AG and ITERON AG), both enterprise-focused. Swiss businesses are under growing indirect pressure: Belgian customers require Peppol, French customers will from September 2026, and German customers already accept e-invoices. The Swiss QR-bill is a payment instrument, not an e-invoice — it does not satisfy any mandate.
E-Invoice Formats Explained
One of the most confusing aspects of e-invoicing in the DACH region is the number of formats in play. Here is a clear breakdown.
| Format | Syntax | Human-Readable | Peppol-Native | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peppol BIS 3.0 | UBL 2.1 XML | No | Yes | Cross-border B2B/B2G — the universal Peppol format, accepted in all DACH countries |
| XRechnung | UBL or CII XML | No | Via UBL | German B2G (mandatory) and B2B — Germany’s national standard, maintained by KoSIT |
| ZUGFeRD 2.x | CII XML + PDF/A-3 | Yes (PDF layer) | No (convert) | German/Swiss B2B — hybrid format with both machine-readable XML and visual PDF |
| Factur-X | CII XML + PDF/A-3 | Yes (PDF layer) | No (convert) | French/German B2B — technically identical to ZUGFeRD 2.x (harmonised specification) |
| ebInterface | XML | No | No | Austrian B2G — required for e-rechnung.gv.at, rarely used for B2B |
All formats above (except ebInterface) are based on the European EN 16931 standard. They are interoperable at the data level, even though they differ in syntax and packaging.
Which Format Should You Use?
For DACH businesses, the pragmatic answer is: use Peppol BIS 3.0 as your default, and let your Access Point provider handle format conversion when needed. Sending to a German government entity? Your provider converts to XRechnung. A German business that prefers ZUGFeRD? Your provider generates the hybrid PDF. A Belgian or French company? Peppol BIS 3.0 or Factur-X as needed.
This is exactly the approach tapr.ch takes: you create one invoice, and the platform ensures it arrives in the right format.
Why Peppol Matters for DACH Businesses Now
- Compliance: Germany already mandates e-invoice receipt. Belgium requires Peppol for B2B. France mandates structured e-invoicing from September 2026. This is not early adoption — it is timely preparation.
- Efficiency: Manual invoice processing costs EUR 10-30 per invoice. E-invoicing via Peppol reduces this to under EUR 1. For 100 invoices per month, that is EUR 900-2,900 in monthly savings.
- Cash flow: E-invoices are delivered instantly and processed automatically, reducing payment times by 5-10 days on average.
- Competitiveness: Trading partners increasingly prefer or require e-invoicing. Being Peppol-connected makes you a more attractive supplier.
How tapr.ch Makes Peppol Simple for DACH Businesses
Grynn GmbH, a licensed Peppol Access Point Service Provider based in Switzerland, built tapr.ch for exactly this situation: DACH businesses that need Peppol connectivity without the complexity of an enterprise integration project.
What tapr.ch Offers
- Instant onboarding: Sign up, register your Peppol ID (based on your VAT/UID number), and start sending invoices in minutes.
- Deep ERP integration: Pre-built connectors for Dynamics F&O, Odoo, and 10+ ERPs. Connect in days, not months. Plus a web interface for quick invoice management.
- Multi-format support: Peppol BIS 3.0, XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, Factur-X — the platform supports multiple e-invoice formats for cross-border invoicing.
- DACH-native: Built in Switzerland, with full support for German, French, Italian, and English. Understands DACH tax requirements, VAT formats, and business practices.
- Cross-border by default: One Peppol ID connects you to businesses in 40+ countries. Invoice your German, Austrian, Belgian, French, or Swiss partners from the same account.
- Transparent pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from €30/month. No long-term contracts.
Who tapr.ch Is For
- Swiss businesses exporting to the EU and needing Peppol compliance for their trading partners
- German Mittelstand businesses looking for a simple way to meet the 2027/2028 issuance mandate
- Austrian businesses trading cross-border and needing Peppol with transparent pricing
- Accountants and bookkeepers managing e-invoicing for multiple DACH clients
Get Started Free
Peppol is not a future requirement for DACH businesses — it is a present one. German businesses must already accept e-invoices. Belgian trading partners require Peppol. French mandates are months away. And Swiss and Austrian businesses that trade across borders cannot afford to wait.
Get started free at tapr.ch — connect your business to the Peppol network in minutes. One account, all formats, every DACH country, and 40+ countries beyond.
Grynn GmbH is a licensed Peppol Access Point Service Provider based in Switzerland. tapr.ch is a multi-tenant SaaS platform for sending and receiving e-invoices via the Peppol network across the DACH region and beyond.