Council Directive 2006/112/EC Requirements for EU Invoices
Commercial invoicing across European Union member states is governed by EU Directive 2006/112/EC (Articles 217-240). To ensure audit compliance and enable cross-border VAT exemptions, verify the following elements:
1. Dual EU VAT Identification
For intra-community cross-border B2B supplies, both the supplier's and the customer's country-prefixed VAT identification numbers (e.g., DE for Germany, FR for France) must appear.
2. Reverse Charge Notice
When VAT is not charged on a cross-border transaction, the invoice must explicitly state "Reverse Charge" (Article 226(11a)), indicating that the buyer must self-account for VAT.
3. SEPA Banking & IBAN Details
State your full International Bank Account Number (IBAN) and Bank Identifier Code (BIC/SWIFT) to ensure seamless Euro payments via the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).