An update about the upcoming-invoicing requirements in Spain

What new requirements are included?

In June 2023, the Spanish government drafted future invoicing requirements that mandate electronic invoicing for companies, also known as e-invoicing. The Spanish e-invoicing system will encompass both private electronic invoicing platforms and a public electronic invoicing solution managed by the Spanish tax authority.

Various formats will be accepted for e-invoicing:

• Facturae
• CII
• EDIFACT
• UBL

There will also be a requirement for service providers to send a copy of the e-invoice in Facturae format to the public platform in Spain. When a service provider is used for e-invoice transmission, a digital signature is necessary. However, when using Spain’s public platform, a digital signature is not required.

Why are these requirements being introduced?

There are several reasons why different countries opt to implement a CTC (Continuous Transaction Controls) model. Generally, a CTC model ensures that service providers play a central role in the validation, processing and exchange of invoices between senders and recipients.

The aims of the forthcoming requirements in Spain are to:

• Promote the digitisation of the invoicing process
• Ensure accurate payment of value-added tax to the state
• Reduce payment delays
• Lower administrative costs

When will these requirements take effect?

The new rules are currently in draft form, and there is currently no specified date for when the new rules will come into effect.

Once they are approved, they will be published in the “Official State Gazette of Spain (BOE).” Subsequently, companies with an annual turnover of over 8 million euros will have a 12-month period to comply with the rules, while companies with an annual turnover below this amount will have a 24-month period.

It’s important to note that the timeline may change or adjust, and it is always best to stay updated with the official communications and updates from Spanish authorities for the most accurate and current information about when the new rules will take effect.

To find out how you can stay ahead of the changing regulations, click here to speak to one of our advisors.