The e-Invoicing project, led by EDICOM and financed by the CEF Telecom e-Invoicing programme, has begun its third phase. Two approved projects started up in 2016 and the first one is already in its final phase. For the public bodies taking part, the implementations are practically ready to go live in October.

Now, a third initiative to implement e-Invoicing in public health sector agencies in Europe is being launched. The call for participation in this project is already open. The deadline for European public health sector companies to apply to join the project ends on November 30, 2017.

The aim of the project is to implement an e-Invoicing solution, or adapt the existing one to the European specifications in health sector companies forming part of the consortium.

Health trusts and agencies, suppliers of products and services or laboratories can join the project to start using e-Invoicing, ahead of the requirements set out in Directive 2014/55/EU, which comes into force in November 2018 in Europe for public bodies of all kinds.

Get ahead of the mandatory e-Invoicing initiative in the EU. Find out more in our free Webinars, sign up here:

• September 21, 2017 | 11:00 to 11:30 (GTM+1) -> REGISTER
• September 28, 2017 | 11:00 to 11:30 (GTM+1) -> REGISTER

 What is Govein?

Govein is an R+D+i initiative designed to encourage development of e-Invoicing in the European Public Sector, and particularly in the healthcare scope. We must remember that next year Directive 2014/55/EU comes into force for all member states. This regulation requires the use of e-invoicing in public procurement through a common European standard ensuring interoperability.

EDICOM, as Certification Authority and qualified trust service provider, is responsible for managing and leading the project, with the support of European Management Consulting EMC. To this end, they have developed a multi-standard solution, which integrates with corporate ERPs and follows the specifications of the new European regulation and the PEPPOL standard for exchanging messages with public administrations.

Through the Govein initiative, healthcare industry companies taking part in the consortium can implement this platform at minimal economic cost. The European commission subsidizes up to 75% of expenses in order to further the spread of cross-border e-Invoicing.

Health sector leading the way in e-invoicing

Govein is not the only initiative to encourage e-billing in the health sector. The British Department of Health (DoH) is currently immersed in full digital transformation due to rollout of the NHS e-Procurement Strategy, which sets up a paperless system for business relations between healthcare trusts and their suppliers. In fact, two NHS trusts have joined Govein to facilitate the implementation of this technology. They are the Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the London North West Healthcare NHS Trust.

In addition to the United Kingdom, Italy is also making progress in health sector digitization. Hot on the heels of the obligation to issue e-Invoicing in the Public Sector, the region of Emilia-Romagna has now set up a dematerialization flow for orders and despatch advices exchange between healthcare agencies and their suppliers, following the PEPPOL specifications. A sector in full transformation, in which technology can bring great benefits: from economic savings to minimizing errors.