Opinion: Why do I think that the regulations of the Spanish “Crea y Crece” Law should NOT incorporate EDIFACT as a format for e-invoicing?

• The Spanish Government’s draft for electronic invoices in Spain includes four formats: UBL, CII, XML Facturae, and EDIFACT.
• However, there are several reasons why EDIFACT should not be included. Firstly, it goes against the criteria of the European Committee for Standardization and was discarded by the European Commission.
• Secondly, it contradicts the criteria established by Law 25/2013 and Order PRE/2971/2007.
• Thirdly, it will be replaced by the ViDA project, which establishes a real-time system based on electronic invoices.
• Additionally, the subset of EDIFACT used in Spain, EANCOM®, is no longer being developed by its creator, GS1.
• Furthermore, EDIFACT is the only format that uses a syntax different from XML, making it technologically complicated and costly.
• Its adoption also increases costs for SMEs. Finally, the NHS in the UK has already replaced EDI with UBL exchanges through Peppol.

Source Sergio Ramón Ruiz Mahillo

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