The Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio (fee collection service of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio) formerly known as GEZ, short for Gebühreneinzugszentrale der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland), is a joint organization of Germany's public broadcasting institutions ZDF, Deutschlandradio and the ARD state broadcasting institutions that is located in Cologne. The Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio is responsible for the collection of license fees. Mandatory license fees for every household are set in the Rundfunkfinanzierungsstaatsvertrag (state treaty on the financing of broadcasting). Since 2013, these fees must be paid by every household in Germany, regardless of whether the household actually has the capability to recei