Brussels, 18/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - MEPs have welcomed the Commission's goal of rolling out the use of e-invoices in public procurement. On Tuesday 17 December, the Parliamentary committee on the internal market (IMCO) unanimously adopted its mandate for negotiations with the Council. MEPs were confident that these e-invoices would be easy to use and technologically neutral. They adopted the draft report of Birgit Collin-Langen (EPP, Germany), who declared: “This directive brings us closer to the single digital market. We have been able to reach a compromise defining the specific prerequisites for the European standard, which also introduces a test phase that guarantees practical solutions for resolving existing difficulties”. MEPs would like to see the standard developed over the two years following adoption of the directive and that it is tested after six months. They also want a four-year period in which member states will be able to apply this standard. An extra year and a half will be given to local and regional authorities. Contractors, however, will have the choice of using e-invoices or not. (MD/transl.fl)