France enters e-invoicing era with Quadient leading the way

On September 1, France entered a new era of electronic invoicing as the first phase of its e-invoicing reform went into effect. This pivotal moment marks a significant milestone for businesses across the country, with over 800,000 entities now registered on Quadient’s Serensia platform and its white-label partners. The reform, which began with large businesses and public sector entities, is expected to expand to small and medium-sized enterprises in September 2027, significantly broadening its reach and impact.

Quadient, a global leader in automation solutions for secure and sustainable business communications, has been at the forefront of this transformation. According to Geoffrey Godet, CEO of Quadient, “This reform is not just about compliance; it’s about driving digital transformation and improving operational efficiency for businesses of all sizes.”

The first phase of the reform has seen a rapid increase in e-invoice exchanges. By the end of August, more than 100,000 e-invoices had been processed, with a notable surge in recent weeks. Major energy providers such as TotalEnergies and Dalkia have already started exchanging e-invoices, either as issuers or recipients. These early adopters are reaping the benefits of reduced administrative burdens and improved data management.

Data security remains a critical component of the reform. All business-to-business (B2B) invoicing will now transit through the network of approved platforms, including Serensia by Quadient. The platform is certified under ISO 27001 and relies on infrastructure qualified under SecNumCloud by ANSSI, ensuring a high level of security for sensitive data.

During a successful pilot program, Quadient demonstrated its readiness to support businesses as they transitioned to e-invoicing. “The pilot program enabled us to move from preparation to real-world usage of the Serensia platform,” said Stéphanie Auchabie, Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations Europe at Quadient. “The acceleration we’ve seen in recent weeks confirms the growing mobilization of businesses and our ability to support the ramp-up of the reform.”

The e-invoicing reform is part of a broader digitalization initiative in France. For Quadient, it marks a significant milestone in its journey to support businesses in navigating evolving national and international requirements. The company's experience extends beyond France, as it currently supports businesses across Europe through its accounts receivable and payable solutions, drawing on its expertise to help companies adapt to the ViDA framework, which is set to become mandatory by July 2030.

Across Europe, the e-invoicing landscape is evolving at varying paces. Belgium and Germany have already implemented mandatory B2B e-invoicing, while Ireland and the UK are set to follow suit in the coming years. With its comprehensive solutions and deep market experience, Quadient is well-positioned to support businesses as they transition to digital invoicing practices.

As France continues to implement its e-invoicing reform, Quadient is committed to providing robust support to its customers. The company’s platform is designed to not only meet current compliance requirements but also to facilitate the broader digital transformation of financial operations, generating structured data that can be integrated into information systems and automate manual processes.

For more information on Quadient’s e-invoicing solution, visit their website.