Government pays invoices after 16 days | News

The figures show that the government pays its invoices on average 16 days after the scan date. For electronic invoices, such a scan date coincides with the receipt of the invoice, for paper invoices there are a few days of postal processing on top. That is also the reason why State Secretary De Bleeker continues to emphasize the importance of the complete switch to digital invoicing.

The fact that the average terms amount to 16 days has to do with the last quarter of 2021. This caused a small increase in the average number of days, while the period in the first three quarters was only 13 to 16 days. An explanation for this can be found on the one hand in the large number of leave days in November and December and on the other hand the entry of the penitentiary institutions into the digital invoicing system in November, which may have caused some start-up problems. In 2020 this period was on average 20 days and in 2019 even 24 days.

The figures also show that the share of e-invoices increased from 10 to 19% in the last year. Invoicing via e-mail, on the other hand, rose from 29% to 37%, while the share of paper invoices fell to 44% (compared to 62% at the beginning of the year).

“It is extremely important to continue to communicate transparently about the payment terms of the federal government. The state has an exemplary function. When you supply goods or services to the state, you must be able to rely on it to pay its invoices on time. Borrowing as a state at the expense of your supplier is not done,” says Eva De Bleeker.

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