If you haven’t heard of PDF Days yet, here’s the quick scoop: organized by the PDF Association, PDF Days is the premier event for anyone passionate about PDF to catch up on the latest PDF innovations, learn from experts, and connect with a vibrant community of developers, product managers, policy makers, and users. This year on September 15-16, PDF Days is back in Berlin – home turf for callas – and we couldn’t be more excited. It’s two full days packed with insights, discussions, and plenty of networking with the people who shape the future of PDF.

A fresh focus on graphic arts

Traditionally, PDF Days has leaned more toward accessibility and archival topics. However, this year’s event is also bringing more attention to the graphic arts industry. What is the reason for this? Recent changes in the ISO committees have brought PDF/X — the essential subset standard for the graphic arts industry — closer to the core of the PDF standard. This means that the PDF Association is now the home for discussions not only about PDF/A (archival) and PDF/UA (accessibility) but also about PDF/X. This shift makes aligning standards such as PDF/A-4 and PDF/X-6 much easier and gives the graphic arts community a stronger voice in shaping the future of PDF. If you want to delve into the details, we’ve already published an in-depth blog post about this transformation.

What’s callas bringing to PDF Days?

With this new spotlight on graphic arts, we’ll be right there to represent it. On day two of PDF Days, we’re looking forward to sharing our perspective in two dedicated sessions. Here’s a sneak peek:

The print industry is booming in areas of packaging, labels, and sign and display — all built on a foundation of rock-solid PDF files. Our CEO, Dietrich von Seggern, will discuss why PDF quality is non-negotiable in production workflows, how standards have shaped modern prepress, and what challenges lie ahead. Expect valuable insights into the complex world of PDF preflight and automation, which is essential for keeping production running smoothly when files come from every imaginable source.

Talking about PDFs that come from various sources… immediately afterwards, our Chief Evangelist, David van Driessche, will take a closer look at this topic in his presentation. Today, creative tools like Canva, Adobe Express, and Affinity Publisher are widely used, making designing print products easier than ever. But this also comes with a downside: what looks great on screen can sometimes be a headache for printers. David will examine this tricky relationship more closely: Are these tools really the nightmare printers fear? Has their print support improved? And how can print workflows adapt to ensure everything runs smoothly?

Join us

We hope this sneak peek has piqued your interest! Ready to join? Check out the full agenda here: PDF Days Europe 2025.

See you in September in Berlin!