Long-term archiving of electronically signed documents (7 min)
It's not enough to just create an electronic signature; you must also be able to reliably verify it years later. The lecture by Jana Žiarová from the company Dettrust, a certification authority, reminded us why long-term archiving is essential. We should observe the same retention periods that apply to paper for digital documents as well. Digital documents must remain usable and defensible even after many years, especially when it comes to legal acts. Long-term verifiability is crucial for contracts that give rise to financial performance and for decisions of public authorities. If a document cannot be demonstrably verified years later, its value in a dispute drops sharply. As with paper originals, retention periods apply to electronic contracts as well. Digital files therefore must be managed so that they hold up in dealings with authorities or courts. The goal is to have proof that the signature is original and that the document has not changed since it was signed.Why signing a document is not enough
