PDF/A (long-term archiving)

PDF/A is a standardized ISO version of the PDF format (ISO 19005) specially designed for long-term archiving. It embeds all fonts, images and resources within the file, forbids encryption and content dependent on an external environment. This guarantees that the document remains readable in 30 years without software dependency. For electronic archiving with evidential value, combining PDF/A with PAdES B-LTA is the recommended practice.