How do I fix BR-CL-22?

A Tax Exemption Reason Code is not a valid CEF VATEX code. VATEX codes explain why VAT is not charged (e.g., VATEX-EU-AE for reverse charge). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is BR-CL-22 a critical error?

Yes, BR-CL-22 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can BR-CL-22 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of BR-CL-22 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorEN 16931

`BR-CL-22`:Any currency code MUST be coded using ISO code list 4217 alpha-3.

A Tax Exemption Reason Code is not a valid CEF VATEX code. VATEX codes explain why VAT is not charged (e.g., VATEX-EU-AE for reverse charge).

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

All EU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

85%

Engine Classification

Normalize document currency code to valid ISO 4217 alpha-3 code

Confidence: 85% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is BR-CL-22?

BR-CL-22 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification. It validates the DocumentCurrencyCode element in the UBL invoice XML.

When this rule fires, the invoice is non-compliant and will be rejected by Peppol access points and national validation services. The sending system receives a rejection response and the invoice does not reach the buyer.

Target path: /Invoice/cbc:DocumentCurrencyCode

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice rejected. Tax exemption must be properly coded for compliance verification.

BR-CL-22 is a hard failure. Invoices that trigger this rule are rejected at the access point and never reach the recipient. In Peppol networks, this means your sending system receives an MLR (Message Level Response) with a rejection status. The invoice must be corrected and re-sent, adding delay to your payment cycle.

Invoice Navigator can automatically correct this error in your pipeline. The fix is applied with full audit evidence, so your compliance trail remains intact.

Validator Behavior

·Causes invoice rejection
·Error returned: BR-CL-22
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue: Any currency code MUST be coded using ISO code list 4217 alp -->
</Invoice>

Corrected XML

<Invoice>
  <!-- Issue resolved per EN 16931 -->
</Invoice>

Technical Reference

XPath/Invoice/cbc:DocumentCurrencyCode

SpecEN 16931

Operationnormalize

StrategyNormalize document currency code to valid ISO 4217 alpha-3 code

Common Causes

·VAT exemption reason code not from CEF VATEX list
·Custom exemption code used instead of VATEX standard
·TaxExemptionReasonCode uses national code not EU code
·Exemption reason stored as text not VATEX code
·Legacy exemption type not mapped to VATEX list

Seeing this in production? The API handles BR-CL-22 automatically. See the fix response →

Handle BR-CL-22 Automatically in Your Pipeline

The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.

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BR-CL-22:Any currency code MUST be coded using ISO code list 4217 alpha-3.