Peppol PINT global: how Peppol is expanding from European standard to worldwide network

Peppol PINT global is the logical next stage in Peppol’s evolution as a transmission network. Where Peppol began in 2010 as a European project for government procurement, the network now operates on six continents. The key to that global expansion is PINT — the technical standard that connects national implementations of Peppol without requiring every country to run an identical profile.

This article explains what Peppol PINT global is, how the technical architecture works, which countries are live, and what this means for Dutch and Belgian businesses invoicing outside Europe.

What is Peppol PINT global?

PINT stands for ‘Peppol International’. It is a specification layer built on top of the existing Peppol infrastructure that enables cross-border exchange of invoices between countries running different national Peppol profiles.

The problem PINT solves is concrete: Europe uses Peppol BIS 3.0 (based on UBL 2.1), Australia and New Zealand use A-NZ PINT, Singapore uses SG PINT, and Japan has its own profile. All these profiles are built on the same Peppol infrastructure, but they are not automatically interoperable — similar to two countries both driving on roads but on different sides.

PINT defines a common core: the minimum set of fields every international Peppol profile must contain. A Peppol service provider supporting Peppol PINT global can translate an invoice created in one national profile into the profile required by the destination country — transparently for the user.

How does Peppol PINT global work technically?

The architecture of Peppol PINT global builds on the familiar 4-corner model:

1. Corner 1: the sending party (your business) submits an invoice to its Peppol service provider.
2. Corner 2: your service provider (the sending access point) validates the invoice and converts it to the PINT format when the recipient is in a different country.
3. Corner 3: the receiving access point in the destination country receives the PINT invoice and delivers it to the recipient.
4. Corner 4: the recipient processes the invoice in their system.

The Peppol network uses the SMP (Service Metadata Publisher) to tell the sending access point which access point the recipient uses — even if that recipient is in Japan or Singapore. The sender never needs to create the invoice in a different format; conversion happens within the infrastructure.

Which countries are live in the Peppol PINT global network?

OpenPeppol publishes the current list of connected countries and approved profiles on its website. The network is growing significantly: every quarter, OpenPeppol announces new Peppol Authority countries.

Why Peppol PINT global matters for Dutch and Belgian exporters

Dutch and Belgian companies exporting to Australia, Singapore, or Japan typically still send invoices by email or paper — even when those buyers are technically already Peppol-connected via their national network.

Peppol PINT global changes this. If your Peppol service provider supports PINT and your customer in Australia is connected to the A-NZ PINT network, you can send an invoice via Peppol that automatically arrives in the correct Australian format. No separate EDI connection, no PDF attachment, no manual entry on the receiving side.

In the market, we see Peppol PINT global as most relevant for:

• Manufacturers and industrial suppliers with customers in Asia-Pacific.
• Service companies (IT, consulting, professional services) with international invoice flows.
• Companies already using Peppol for European customers who want to extend the same network to non-European markets.

How to select a Peppol service provider with PINT support

Not all Peppol service providers yet support PINT connectivity outside Europe. This is a specific selection criterion to include in your provider evaluation. Relevant questions:

1. Does the provider support A-NZ PINT, SG PINT, and JP PINT profiles?
2. Is the provider certified by OpenPeppol as an international access point?
3. Does the provider offer automatic profile conversion, or must you create the invoice in the destination country’s profile yourself?
4. Which countries are actively supported, and are there additional fees for non-European destinations?

The comparison tool on Peppol.now provides an overview of providers and their supported countries. Filtering on ‘international’ or specific countries helps you quickly identify relevant providers.

Peppol PINT global and ViDA: the connection

PINT and ViDA are complementary developments. ViDA mandates einvoicing within the EU; Peppol PINT global enables einvoicing outside the EU via the same transmission network. A business investing in Peppol connectivity for ViDA compliance is simultaneously building the technical foundation for international invoice flows via PINT.

There is no trade-off between ViDA readiness and international growth — they are two applications of the same infrastructure investment.

Frequently asked questions about Peppol PINT global

What is the difference between Peppol BIS 3.0 and PINT?

Peppol BIS 3.0 is the European profile for invoice exchange via Peppol — based on UBL 2.1 and EN 16931. Peppol PINT global is the overarching specification layer that defines which fields are common across all national Peppol profiles worldwide. BIS 3.0 is Europe’s implementation of PINT.

Do I need to change anything about my invoicing to use Peppol PINT global?

No, if your Peppol service provider supports PINT. The conversion from your national profile to the destination country’s profile happens transparently within the infrastructure. You create the invoice as usual; your provider handles the correct translation.

Which countries in the Peppol PINT global network are most relevant for Dutch exporters?

Australia and New Zealand (A-NZ PINT) and Singapore (SG PINT) are the most mature non-European Peppol networks and therefore the most promising destinations for Dutch exporters looking to use PINT. Japan (JP PINT) is growing rapidly and is particularly relevant for companies in manufacturing and technology sectors.

Is Peppol PINT global the same as the Peppol 5-corner model?

No. The 5-corner model adds a fifth corner for fiscal reporting to a tax authority — relevant in countries like Belgium (2028 ambition). Peppol PINT global is a technical interoperability layer for cross-border invoice exchange between countries with different national Peppol profiles. The two are complementary but distinct.

1. OpenPeppol — Peppol International and PINT specifications
2. OpenPeppol — Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 documentation
3. OpenPeppol — International rollout and PINT countries
4. ATO (Australian Tax Office) — Peppol for e-invoicing
5. IMDA Singapore — Singapore as Peppol Authority

Compare Peppol service providers with international Peppol PINT global support on Peppol.now. Also read our article on Netherlands ViDA einvoicing for the EU mandate context built on the same Peppol infrastructure.