Guidelines on B2B mandate in Germany published

BMF’s E-Invoicing Guidelines: On October 15, 2024, the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) published official guidelines for the upcoming e-invoicing mandate, affirming a hands-off approach while hinting at future definitions of transmission channels for tax reporting.
Implementation Timeline: The e-invoicing obligation, introduced by the Growth Opportunity Act in March 2024, will take effect on January 1, 2025, with the finalized guidelines reflecting feedback received over the past months.
Key Definitions and Expectations: The guidelines clarify that “readability” refers to the technical readability of structured invoices, and that email-based transmission may serve as a transitional approach, paving the way for more efficient implementations.
Detailed Differences from Draft: Notable updates from the draft include allowing e-invoicing for amounts under €250 (unless the recipient objects), the inclusion of “Peppol BIS Billing” as a valid format, and emphasizing structured data for input tax deductions over visual representations.
Responsibility and Future Regulations: The finalized letter positions electronic invoicing strongly within a legal framework, placing the onus on economic operators for practical implementation, while signaling the need for new regulations regarding upcoming tax reporting mandates to ensure high-quality invoice data.