Background
PDF is a standard for encoding documents in an "as printed" form that is portable between systems and is widely used for distribution and archiving of documents. However the suitability of a PDF file for archival preservation depends on options chosen when the PDF is created. Most notably whether to embed the necessary fonts for rendering the document, whether to use encryption and whether to preserve additional information from the original document beyond what is needed to print it.
PDF/A was originally a new joint activity between The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (NPES) and the Association for Information and Image Management, to develop an International standard that defines the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) for archiving and preserving documents. The goal was to address the growing need to electronically archive documents in a way that will ensure preservation of their contents over an extended period of time, and will further ensure that those documents will be able to be retrieved and rendered with a consistent and predictable result in the future. This need exists in a growing number of international government and industry segments, including legal systems, libraries, newspapers, regulated industries, and others.
Read more about this topic: PDF/A
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