The GEZ is the abreviation for the Gebühreneinzugszentrale. It is the processing center for German TV and radio licenses. Literally translated it means "central charge collection". The GEZ are located in Cologne.
Anyone owning a television or radio (including a car radio) is required to pay a license fee. The monthly fee (as of 2008) is €5.52 for one or more radios or €17.03 for one or more televisions or radios. Note that since January 2007 you also need a license for internet-connected equipment capable of receiving streamed radio or TV programmes.
These fees are used to fund regional broadcasting such as the Bayerischer Rundfunk and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg and national broadcasters such as ARD (Das Erste) and ZDF. The annual revenue is roughly €7.6 billion.
The fees are unpopular among many expats, who feel they are excessively expensive. In Europe, only Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries charge more. This feeling is heightened when one considers the quality of many of the resulting broadcasts and the fact the broadcasts generally still have commercials. For many, the bitterest pill to swallow is the additional 55 cents one must spend on a stamp when eventually replying to one of their frequent demands.
For a country that generally closely follows the rules, avoidance of the license fee is higher than one might expect. License inspectors have no legal right of access to your property. Nonetheless, the license is a legal requirement and avoidance can prove costly.
See also:
- GEZ - official website
- English Info - SWR.de
- GEZ related TT chat topics
- Wikipedia article
- Television