Gebühreneinzugszentrale

The GEZ, full title "Gebühreneinzugszentrale der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (Fee Collection Center of public-law broadcasting institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany), is a joint organization of Germany's regional public broadcasting agencies located in Cologne. The GEZ is responsible for collecting broadcast participants' data and collecting "broadcasting fee" as determined in the "Rundfunkfinanzierungsstaatsvertrag" (State Treaty on the Financing of Broadcasting) for each "Rundfunkempfangsgerät", or broadcast receiving devices such as TV sets, radios or computers.

The GEZ has become a target of criticism as it was decided that "Neuartige Rundfunkempfänger" (novel broadcast receiving devices) are subject to fee. This includes mobile phones and computers that are capable of connecting to the internet, even if the owner doesn't use these features at all, effectively charging a fee on all internet devices and thereby subverting the 'free' aspect of the internet; this, however, counts only for those not already paying for a TV license.

Information Availability in English

The GEZ unfortunately does not provide any non-German information on their website, and English language enquiries to their offices are only replied to in German, sometimes with the comment "Amtssprache ist Deutsch" (official language is German).

This results in the situation that non-German speaking people, living in Germany, are obliged to pay for a German language service even if they have no television or radio receiver, yet simply make use of the internet or a navigation system. The fact that such people have no access to non-German information, explaining this situation, leaves many such non-German speaking people liable to pay heavy fines for not registering and paying the relevant charges for the use of the internet or navigation systems even though they have no access to any official English language information explaining these charges to them.

Traditional Reception Equipment

Traditional reception equipment is defined as devices with some kind of tuner for broadcast media that can receive radio or television signals via antenna, cable or satellite.

These include portable and non-portable radio and television receivers, radio alarm clocks, radio recorders, car radios, computer with a radio or TV-tuner card, computer with a USB-Stick or card for DVB-T reception, mobile units for terrestrial TV-reception in vehicles, Set-Top-Boxes (e.g. for DSL) as well as mobile phones with built-in FM-Radio, DVB-H or DMB etc.

New Reception Equipment

New reception equipment is defined as devices that can receive radio or TV programs over alternative platforms, without having their own tuner, like devices with access to the internet or UMTS technology.

Examples of devices defined as "new reception equipment" are:- PCs and notebooks, that can receive radio and television programs only via the internet.- PDAs and MDAs/Smartphones, that can receive broadcasts only via the internet or UMTS.- Server, when they are capable of being connected to the Internet without considerable effort- UMTS and WLAN capable mobile phones, that can receive radio and television programming exclusively via UMTS or the Internet.- Navigation devices that are capable of receiving broadcast signals and/or being connected to the internet

Charges for using Navigation Equipment

One of the confusing issues, not well defined on the GEZ website, is as to when navigation equipment is liable for the GEZ fee.

The GEZ defines navigation equipment (GPS receivers) as being liable for charges when they are capable of receiving broadcast signals and/or being connected to the internet. The GEZ has not defined if "receiving broadcasts" refers to the ability to receive the GPS-Satellite signals (used for determining the geographical position), particularly as broadcast signals includes broadcasts received via satellite, or simply applies only to those navigation devices that can additionally receive the Traffic Message Channel (TMC) traffic signals broadcast by some German radio stations.

Although it would be logical to assume that only devices that can receive TMC signals are applicable (as the GPS satellite signals are provided by the US-military, not any German broadcasters), this definition is not properly defined on the GEZ website.

The application of fees to navigation equipment, that can connect to the internet, is just as confusing as these devices are often only capable of using the internet to download navigation related data, like traffic information, and are incapable of playing any radio or television broadcasts. The GEZ does not precisely define if such devices are exempt so it must be assumed they are also liable for the GEZ fee.

Charges for using Mobile Phones

Although most people would not associate a mobile phone, without a built-in radio or TV tuner, as a device liable for a radio/TV broadcast licence fee, the GEZ specifically defines phones with 3G/UMTS and/or WLAN capability as liable for such a charge.

However, as all but the simplest mobile phones are capable of accessing the internet (e.g. via GPRS), it could be argued that GPRS capable GSM phones are also liable for the GEZ fee.

For example, if you are using a GPS navigation system (without TMC) that connects to the internet, via a GSM mobile phone using GPRS, in order to download server based traffic information, it is not clearly defined if such a system is liable for a GEZ charge or not.

Charges for using the Internet

Everybody living in Germany is obliged to pay a fee to the GEZ for using "Neuartige Rundfunkgeräte" (novel broadcast receiving devices) which includes any computer connected to the internet.

The reasoning given for charging all devices with internet access is based on the reasoning that a computer can be used to stream radio and television broadcasts via the internet by visiting one of the websites provided by the German public broadcasting organizations (ARD, ZDF, etc.). It is irrelevant if the computer is actually used for this purpose, simply the ability to use these streams is the basis for the general charge on all internet capable equipment used in Germany.

As not all TV programs are available online, only the charge for radio broadcasts is currently being charged (it was originally planned to charge the full fee for television charges).

The individual computer configuration is not taken into account. The criteria for the internet fee is simply the ability to play broadcast content even if the computer is not actually connected to the internet.

Charges for a Car Radio

A car radio is charged like a radio in a household. If the car is only used privately, the car radio fees are included in any radio or television fees at the person's home. If no such television or radio is used, the car radio has to be registered as a first unit.

If the car is used for any business purposes, the car radio has to registered separately and an additional fee is charged.

TV and Radio Charges

In private households, the charges for using the internet are included in the radio/television fees. If no television or radio is present, then the charge for a radio is applicable.

In businesses, each radio, television and new reception equipment device has to be registered for the GEZ charge. New reception devices (e.g. computers) only have to be paid for once for each property. If there are no radio or television units at a company, then just one such device has to be registered.

If an organization has computers (etc.) at more than one property, the charge is paid at each property.

Mobile phones with UMTS or internet connection (this could be understood to mean normal GSM phones with GPRS internet connection) used by employees for more than 3 months are considered to be private phones and have to be paid for by the employees, if they do not already pay private radio or TV charges.

At the time of writing (March 2008), the charges for a radio are 5.52 € and a television 17.03 €. The charge for a television includes a radio in the same household.

Please note: The information found here is incomplete and can only be used as a guide. Only the German language information on the GEZ website is binding.

External links

* [http://www.gez.de Official website of the GEZ (only German language information)]
* [http://www.swr.de/unternehmen/rundfunkgebuehren/-/id=308306/1bjq5ey/index.html English Info] Südwestfunk (one of the public broadcasters) website http://www.swr.de
* [http://www.rfgz.de Rundfunkgebührenzahler.Deutschland (i.G.)] Organization critical of the GEZ policies
* [http://www.rfgz.de/news/items/20070907.html?month=200709 Do you Speak English?] German article discussing inability of GEZ to speak English
* [http://www.medien-mittweida.de/aktuelles/artikel/1475.html Missstände bei der GEZ] German article where a case is discussed regarding inability of the GEZ to answer in English