Brussels, 11/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - The public authorities must go electronic with their invoicing procedures in public procurement. On Tuesday 11 February, the committee on the internal market of the European Parliament approved the trialogue agreement reached in late January on this dossier (see EUROPE 11004), in its adoption (37 votes to 1) of the report by Birgit Collin-Langen (EPP, Germany). The adoption of the text in plenary is scheduled for March. The move from paper to automated invoicing should come in within no more than 18 months for central governments, following the three years earmarked for developing and testing technical standards. The regional authorities will have an additional 18 months to come into line. This was a compromise reached between the institutions, as the member states would have wanted a longer transition period. Electronic invoicing is expected to save the public authorities €2.3 million a year. (MD/transl.fl)