Regulations that govern electronic invoices.

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Regulations that govern electronic invoices.

published 09/02/2022

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What is an invoice ?

The invoice is an official document that is at the crossroads of several regulations, which sometimes leaves room for several interpretations that can contradict each other.

In this article, we will focus on the generalities that govern electronic invoicing.

Although each country remains sovereign in the writing of tax regulations, it is the European directives (2010/45/EU and 2014/55/EU) that inspire the French General Tax Code and the Commercial Code , especially at the level of electronic invoicing.

Invoices serve several purposes. It is a legal proof of the service rendered, or of the goods sold, and establishes the seller’s right to claim payment. It is an obligation to invoice any professional activity.

It also holds the details of the sale and serves as accounting evidence for the preparation of the annual accounts.

Contains information on the VAT applicable and of any deductions made.

And of course, it allows the tax administration to exercise its right of verification.

Et évidemment, elle permet à l’administration fiscale d’exercer son droit de vérification.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1857″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” css=”.vc_custom_1644412630876{padding-top: 80px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1859″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” css=”.vc_custom_1644413045295{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” width=”1/2″ offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0″ css=”.vc_custom_1641466122628{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]

The authenticity of the origin, the integrity of the content and the legibility of the invoice

An important sentence in Article 289 of the CGI says:

“The authenticity of the origin, the integrity of the content and the legibility of the invoice must be ensured from the moment it is issued until the end of its retention period.»

“Authenticity of origin” means that it is up to the supplier AND the customer to verify the identity of the issuer.

The supplier has either :

Issued the invoice himself
The invoice was issued by a trusted third party (EDI service provider, accountant, etc.) .

“Integrity of the content” means that the entirety, mandatory or not, of the original invoice must not have been modified.

“Legibility of the invoice” means that it can be read without difficulty by the user and by the administration, on paper or on screen.

The retention period varies according to certain specific cases, but is generally 10 years.

La période de conservation varie selon certain cas spécifique, mais est généralement de 10ans.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1644409428895{padding-top: 50px !important;}”]

Mandatory information on an invoice

The obligations and invoicing methods apply regardless of the medium (paper or electronic) or the means of transmission of invoices. (CGI Article 242h A):

Date of issue of the invoice
Invoice numbering
Date of sale or provision of services
Identity of the buyer
Identity of the seller or service provider
Purchase Order Number
Individual VAT identification number of the seller and the professional customer
Description of the product or service
Detailed breakdown of each service and product provided

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List price
Possible price increase
Legally applicable VAT rate
Total amount of corresponding VAT
Price reduction
Total amount to be paid excluding tax (HT) and all taxes included (TTC)
Payment date or deadline
Late Payment Penalty Rates
Mention of the flat-rate compensation of 40 €

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Acceptation de la procédure de transmission électronique

Today, the transmission and provision of electronic invoices is subject to acceptance by the recipient, either via an interchange contract between companies or via a service provider. Acceptance can also be done tacitly, for example, when the customer pays an invoice received.

This changes with Ordinance No. 2021-1190 of 15 September 2021 where the electronic invoicing obligations will be imposed according to a progressive schedule:

From 1 July 2024, upon receipt, to all taxable persons,
From 1 July 2024, in transmission, to large companies,
From 1 January 2025 to mid-caps,
From 1 January 2026 to small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-enterprises.

The deployment of e-reporting obligations will follow the same schedule.

Iway Services supports you in all stages of Electronic Invoicing, whatever the format.

Contact us and, thanks to our experts, we will bring you the right answers and solutions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1848″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” css=”.vc_custom_1644410923885{padding-top: 80px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1641732909425{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Sources :

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