Belgium adopted its B2B e-invoicing legislation in 2024, setting a mandatory implementation date of January 1, 2026 for domestic transactions between taxable persons. The system is designed around Peppol Network as the default infrastructure, while the national Hermes platform has so far provided a fallback option for suppliers unable to issue structured e-invoices directly.
The Hermes solution was introduced as an interim tool to facilitate the transition to structured e-invoicing. It allowed suppliers who could not yet generate Peppol-compliant invoices to send PDF invoices, which Hermes then forwarded to recipients in a structured format. This ensured that even companies without advanced IT capabilities could participate in the e-invoicing ecosystem.
In July 2024, the Business Experts Group on e-invoicing reassessed the Hermes platform and recommended its phase-out. Following this, the Belgian government confirmed that Hermes will be decommissioned by December 31, 2025. Authorities have emphasized that sufficient certified IT providers are now available to support compliance, making Hermes no longer necessary.
The decommissioning process has already started, with BOSA SD terminating Hermes Integration Agreements. Companies currently relying on the solution are urged to identify and migrate to an alternative provider well before the 2026 mandate. While Hermes will be fully shut down at the end of 2025, users will still be able to access it in consultation mode until March 31, 2026 to review past invoices.
