The European standard for electronic invoicing, EN 16931-1, is being updated, which has raised concerns about higher costs, increased complexity, and a possible loss of its universal nature. The European Committee for Standardization recently approved a new version of this standard, which serves as the foundation for various electronic invoicing formats used across Europe. This change requires businesses and software developers to modify their systems, which could involve a significant investment. The update is largely driven by the European ViDA program and upcoming regulations related to the exchange of tax data. It includes clarifications on how value-added tax (VAT) is processed and introduces new features, such as the ability to group multiple deliveries on one invoice, account for fees from third parties, and include multiple buyer references. These additions have led to discussions about whether they align with the core purpose of the standard. The original EN 16931-1 standard was successful because of its simplicity, focusing on about 160 elements that are commonly found in most business transactions. This approach allowed companies and public institutions to exchange invoices without having to agree on specific fields beforehand. Additional features were available for more specialized needs, which kept the system flexible without complicating it. However, the 2026 revision adds features that may not be necessary for the majority of businesses, potentially increasing the cost and complexity of implementation. The costs of adapting to the new standard go beyond invoicing platforms, affecting enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, accounting software, and other business tools. Interfaces, data models, and integrations will need to be updated and tested again. While regulatory requirements can justify such changes, the addition of features that address needs not widely expressed by most businesses is more controversial. The revised standard allows for repeated buyer references, which large companies may require from all their suppliers. This could pose a challenge for smaller suppliers if their software is not capable of handling multiple references, potentially forcing them to revert to using PDF invoices and losing the benefits of automation. While a common framework is meant to prevent suppliers from having to renegotiate invoice content with each large customer, an overly broad framework may undermine this goal. Maintaining a common framework requires careful evaluation of new additions to ensure they meet widely shared needs and justify the costs they impose on the market. European electronic invoicing has been a major advancement, but its success depends on keeping it simple, accessible, and truly interoperable. If the core framework continues to expand without limits, it risks losing its status as a fundamental standard altogether.