Public Procurement and Property

Consultation on the Introduction of Electronic Invoicing

August 1, 2018 by Eddie Chapman No Comments | Category Consultations, eInvoicing, video

We have published a consultation on the introduction of Electronic Invoicing in the public procurement process on 1 August 2018 with a closing date of 24 October 2018.

The consultation is open to anyone who wishes to provide feedback or views on the introduction of electronic invoicing in the public procurement process and will be of particular interest to the public sector and its supply base.

The need to consult has come about due to the fact the European Directive 2014/55/EU on Electronic Invoicing in Public Procurement was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEU) on 26 May 2014. This directive applies to contracts that are regulated by the European Public Procurement Regulations, meaning those contracts which are advertised in OJEU.

You may ask yourself why are we proceeding with the transposition of an European Union (EU) Directive when the UK is in the process of leaving the EU. Scotland remains a committed, responsible and proactive EU partner. The implementation of EU legislation remains a priority for the Scottish Government during the remainder of our EU membership and during any period of transition.

It should be noted that it isn’t mandatory for suppliers to issue eInvoices and with agreement they can continue issuing invoices as they currently do, such as paper. However, public bodies are expected to have the capability to automatically receive and process electronic invoices by April 2020 at the very latest.

Currently, sixteen public sector organisations are already receiving electronic invoices through the Scottish Government’s eInvoicing solution and so far there have been 362,000 transactions with estimated savings of £4.7 million.

Regardless of the future relationship with the EU and due to the efficiencies and benefits to both the public sector and its supply base, the Scottish Government is recommending that the Directive on electronic invoicing be implemented into Scots Law.

We’re looking forward to receiving comments and views on this important topic and recommend you take the opportunity to have your say.

• Complete the consultation
• Lynn Peterson (Head of eCommerce) video

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Tags: consultation, eInvoicing, electronic invoicing, EU Directive

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