{"id":1651,"date":"2022-01-01T08:05:06","date_gmt":"2022-01-01T07:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archivesconseil.be\/?p=1651"},"modified":"2026-04-28T09:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:00:15","slug":"what-is-the-legal-value-of-digital-archives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archivesconseil.be\/en\/what-is-the-legal-value-of-digital-archives\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the legal value of digital archives?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is the legal value of digital archives?<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>
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Digital archiving is popular. Document dematerialization with a “zero paper” perspective is an ambition for many companies. But be careful, can we digitize the archives and destroy the paper copies as we see fit? Do the electronic archives thus obtained have the same legal value as physical documents?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go back to the advantages and disadvantages of archiving, whether physical or digital.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Do electronic archives have the same legal value as physical archives?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>
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First of all, it is important to note that there is a difference between “digital storage” and “legal digital archiving”. The first refers to the simple recording of scanned documents in a directory or on a network, while the second involves compliance with strict rules and procedures for digitizing, indexing and archiving documents. Does your digital archive meet all legal and contractual requirements? It is then considered a legal archive and can therefore replace the paper archive. Your electronic archive has probative value. <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Advantages and disadvantages of digital archiving compared to physical archiving<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>
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First visible advantage (it is the case to say it): the difference in space necessary for the storage of your (legal) archives. While your archival boxes can take up miles of shelves in a suitable room (where temperature, light and humidity must be controlled), electronic storage only takes up the few square millimeters of the chip on which it is done.<\/p>\n

In terms of investment and logistics, both solutions have as many advantages as disadvantages: in order to meet strict cybersecurity and confidentiality standards, the digitization and storage of your electronic archives requires investment in specific software or to use third-party professional services. Storing physical archives in good preservation conditions guaranteeing their physical integrity for years also requires a certain investment (heating costs and storage equipment or the services of a professional storage company).<\/p>\n

Is your archiving system clear and well thought out? Your archives will also be easy and quick to find, whether they are electronic or physical. 1 point everywhere, here.<\/p>\n

Votre syst\u00e8me d\u2019archivage est clair et bien pens\u00e9\u2009? Vos archives seront aussi faciles et rapides \u00e0 retrouver, qu\u2019elles soient \u00e9lectroniques ou physiques. 1 point partout, ici.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Can we call on an archiving company or a professional archivist\u2009for the digitization of the archives\u2009?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

At Archives Conseil, we take care of the digitization of your archives, paying particular attention to their indexing in order to facilitate their research at any time.<\/p>\n

How do we proceed ?<\/p>\n