eInvoicing Documentation
Obtaining a copy of the European standard on eInvoicing
The European standard on eInvoicing (EN 16931) was developed and published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), at the request of the European Commission. The copyright of the European standard is owned by CEN. On 18 December 2018, the European Commission and CEN signed a License Agreement allowing cost-free access to the parts 1 and 2 of the eInvoicing standard:
- The semantic data model (EN 16931-1: 2017)
- The two mandatory syntaxes that comply with the standard (CEN/TS 16931-2: 2017).
The agreement ensures free access where derivate use is allowed and is valid for the duration of the current version of the semantic data model and compliant syntaxes.
Copies of the remaining parts (3-6) of the standard, consisting of syntax bindings, guidelines and methodologies are sold through CEN's National Standardisation Bodies. Information on sales points to purchase a copy of the European standard can be found on the CEN website.
To access the European standard on eInvoicing (EN 16931) and supporting documents, public authorities, private operators and institutions, bodies and agencies are invited to contact their National Standardisation Body directly.
Part | Name | Type | Cost-free access | Derivative use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Semantic data model of the core elements of an electronic invoice EN 16931-1:2017. | Standard | Yes | Yes |
2 | List of syntaxes that comply with EN 16931- CEN/TS 16931-2:2017. | Technical specification | Yes | Yes |
3-1 | Methodology for syntax bindings of the core elements of an electronic invoice EN 16931- CEN/TS 16931-3-1:2017. | Technical specification | No | Yes |
| 3-2 | Syntax binding for ISO/IEC 19845 (UBL 2.1) invoice and credit note EN 16931- CEN/TS 16931-3-2:2017. | Technical specification | No | Yes |
| 3-3 | Syntax binding for UN/CEFACT XML Industry Invoice D16B EN 16931- CEN/TS 16931-3-3:2017. | Technical specification | No | Yes |
| 3-4 | Syntax binding for UN/EDIFACT INVOIC D16B EN 16931- CEN/TS 16931-3-4:2017. | Technical specification | No | Yes |
4 | Guidelines on interoperability of electronic invoices at the transmission level EN 16931- CEN/TR 16931-4:2017. | Technical report | No | Yes |
5 | Guidelines on the use of sector or country extensions in conjunction with EN 16931-1, methodology to be applied in the real environment CEN/TR 16931-5:2017. | Technical report | No | Yes |
| 6 | Result of the test of EN 16931-1 with respect to its practical application for an end user CEN/TR 16931-6:201. | Technical report | No | Yes |
Derivative use
The agreement allows cost-free access and derivative use of the semantic data model and the two mandatory syntaxes. For all other documents, derivative use is allowed for the development and distribution of derivative applications with no additional licensing requirement, on the condition that:
- such derivative applications will include a statement, well visible to the users, which clarifies that this is an implementation of the semantic data model and two mandatory syntaxes. Additionally, that such reproduction is granted with the permission of CEN and the relevant member national standardisation bodies as copyright owners;
- a statement to be included in the derivative applications (i.e. software and other applications that incorporate ideas, concepts or text from the standard) clarifying that CEN and the relevant national standardisation bodies bear no liability from the content and implementation of such derivative applications and that, in case of doubt, users shall always refer to the official authoritative content of the semantic data model and two mandatory syntaxes as provided by each CEN member national standardisation bodies at national level.
It is indeed important to indicate that CEN and the relevant member national standardisation bodies bear no liability from the use of the content and implementation of such derivative application and give no warranties expressed or implied for any purpose of such implementation. In case of doubt, users shall always refer to the content of the publication provided by the relevant member national standardisation bodies, which makes available the official authoritative text.
Duration
Cost-free access to the standard will last for the duration of the current version of the semantic data model and mandatory syntaxes, including their corrections and amendments. In case of a revision or renewal/confirmation of the publications, the agreement will be renewed under the terms to be agreed by CEN and the European Commission. End‐users shall not be requested to pay an additional fee, considering that access has been pre‐paid by the European Commission.