CEF eInvoicing Grant Funding: Prepare your proposal - Deadline 18 September 2018
European Commission, 2018
The current Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) call for proposals (CEF-TC-2018-2) provides funding of up to € 5 million to support the adoption of compliant eInvoicing solutions by both public and private entities. The funding covers up to 75% of the costs of implementation. The deadline for applications is 18 September 2018.
The CEF is the EU’s main financing instrument for trans-European infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. The CEF eInvoicing Building Block provides services that support public administrations comply with European legislation (Directive 2014/55/EU on eInvoicing in public procurement), and implement the European standard on eInvoicing. CEF eInvoicing also helps solution providers adapt their services accordingly. Dedicated CEF grant funding further supports the adoption of eInvoicing respecting the European standard.
Proposals must address one or both of the following objectives:
- Uptake of eInvoicing solutions compliant with the European standard and its ancillary deliverables by public authorities (central, regional, and local);
- Update of existing eInvoicing solutions compliant with the European standard and its ancillary deliverables. For example, such updates should allow end-to-end eProcurement to be ensured through the integration of Invoicing modules in eProcurement platforms or solutions aiming at full automation, or other innovative solutions such as real-time eInvoicing/reporting.
In order to ensure a successful proposal, interested stakeholders are encouraged to prepare the relevant files well ahead of the 18 September deadline. The recording of the 2018 CEF Telecom call virtual info day provides those preparing a submission with valuable insights into the process, as well as tips and tricks. Those still looking for consortia partners might wish to visit the Build a Consortium LinkedIn group.
How has CEF supported eInvoicing to date?
CEF eInvoicing and dedicated grant funding successfully support organisations in preparing for the legal deadline of 18 April 2019 (for transposition of the Directive).
For example, in 2011, Croatia started its eInvoicing journey. The Croatian government enacted regulation that created new administrative processes for public administrations and businesses in 2013. However, the Ministry was eager to improve the existing eInvoicing system to excel user-experience and application in Croatia. The Ministry saw the opportunity to enhance eInvoicing in Croatia when it saw an CEF eInvoice grant call.
With the grant, the Ministry aimed to advance cross-border eInvoicing possibilities, mature the national eInvoicing efforts, integrate eDelivery services and connect new stakeholders to the Croatian eInvoice Exchange Hub. CEF services facilitated the Ministry throughout this electronic transformation passage by providing a standardised set of normative and technical details. CEF saved the Ministry valuable time as it did not lose time researching and finding appropriate standards and exchange options. This reduced the implementation process, made it easier, faster and significantly more efficient for Croatia.
Mass adoption of eInvoicing within the EU leads to significant economic benefits and an increase in European business competitiveness. Supported by the Directive, acceptance of eInvoices by governments will make it easier to do business with the public sector. The Directive called for a European standard on eInvoicing to prevent the proliferation of differing eInvoices in the Single Market. Working at a syntax level, the European standard helps increase cross-border interoperability and so support business and administration in Europe.