Glossary
Approved Platform (PA)
A platform approved by the French tax administration to send and receive e-invoices on a business's behalf.
Definition
In the French e-invoicing reform, invoices between businesses no longer travel directly by email. They go through an approved platform (plateforme agréée, previously called PDP). Each business chooses one; the platform registers the business's address in the central directory and handles sending, receiving and the data transmitted to the tax administration.
Why it matters
Every VAT-registered business in France has needed one to receive invoices since 1 September 2026. The platform you choose determines how easily invoices flow into your accounting and your other tools.
Example
A small business picks an approved platform that connects to its accounting software. Supplier invoices arrive there and flow into the accounts without anyone typing them in again.
Our take
Choose the platform for how it connects to the tools you already use. The integration is where time is saved or lost.
Related terms