The annual report (statement of financial position, income statement, notes) and audit report must be retained in a written form and signed by the chairperson of the supreme management or administrative body and the person responsible for financial reporting within the company.

The accounting records and the accounting vouchers may be retained on paper, electronically or in a comparable manner, provided that correspondence with the underlying business transactions and circumstances is guaranteed thereby and provided that they can be made readable again at any time.

This requirement entails that:

• The authenticity and integrity of the electronic records should be adequately ensured;
• Electronic records should be accessible during their retention period; and
• The electronic records should be made legible within a reasonable time frame.

Accounting vouchers are any documents on paper or in electronic format or comparable form that are required to be able to verify the business transaction or the circumstances behind an accounting entry, like bank receipts, cash vouchers, bills, receipts, delivery notes, expense accounts etc.

This definition includes also contracts, business letters, communications from public authorities (e.g. tax authorities), e-mails etc., if such documents are relevant for the full understanding of an accounting entry, even if they are only potentially relevant.