Responsibility:

Central (Federal) / Regional (State) Government

Website:

https://www.elster.de/index.php

Description:

The ELSTER website enables online transmission of income tax returns and tax notifications. Filed tax returns are automatically compared with the electronic assessment issued by the tax administration to determine immediately whether there are deviations in the tax office figures. In Germany, income tax collection is a federal competence but it is administered individually by each of the 16 German states. The programme Kernel is also distributed freely to the approximately 250 tax software developers in the German market.

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Labour Agency

Website:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/

Description:

The employment portal aims at connecting supply and demand on the training and job markets, promoting their transparency. It provides access to databases of job offers and of job seekers, and furthermore features an innovative matching application to help job seekers identify opportunities more easily.

a. Unemployment benefits

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Labour Agency

Website:

http://arbeitslosengeld2.arbeitsagentur.de/

Description:

Information and forms to download, which can be filled on screen before being printed and sent or delivered to the Labour Office. Since 2005, the two-tier regime of unemployment benefits and long-term welfare support have been replaced by a single flat-rate payout, known as ‘Unemployment Pay II’ (Arbeitslosengeld II - AlG II), which eventually reduces the amount of benefits that long-term unemployed receive.

b. Child allowances

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Labour Agency

Website:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/

Description:

Information and forms to download, which can be filled on screen before being printed and sent or delivered to the Labour Office. Child allowances (Kindergeld) are granted for children as a tax refund, in order to meet the constitutional rule that income is not taxable up to a child’s subsistence level.

c. Medical costs (reimbursement or direct settlement)

Responsibility:

N.A

Website:

N.A

Description:

This service is not relevant for Germany. Medical treatment is free at the point of delivery in the public health service, and costs outside the public health service are not reimbursed.

d. Student grants

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Ministry for Education and Research and Federal Office of Administration (BVA)

Website:

http://www.bafoeg.bmbf.de/

Description:

Information and forms to download. Students are entitled to a government study allowance called BAföG, which is equally divided between a scholarship and a long-term, low-interest loan. The allowance declines as student's parents' income rises. The loan part of the BAföG has to be paid back at a later date (through BAföG Online). The scheme is administered by the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) and the Credit Institute for Reconstruction (Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau - KfW).

a. Passport

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Website:

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/

Description:

Information and online form that can be filled on screen. Applications must then be submitted to local authorities, or to German consular services for applicants living outside Germany.

b. Driver’s licence

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA)

Website:

http://www.kba.de/

Description:

Information only.

Responsibility:

Local Government

Website:

N/A

Description:

Vehicle registration services are handled by local authorities, some of which provide related information and forms on their websites.

Responsibility:

Regional Government

Website:

N/A

Description:

Planning and building permission services are handled by regional (state) governments, some of which have implemented online requests systems.

Responsibility:

Central (Federal) / Regional (State) Government

Website:

http://www.polizei.de/

Description:

Web-based online declaration services are introduced in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Nordrhein Westfalen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein enabling online reporting of crimes and other information.

Responsibility:

Central (Federal) / Regional (State) / Local Government

Website:

N/A

Description:

Most major public libraries (universities, city libraries, etc.) provide catalogues and search tools on the Internet. In addition, through the new online lending system ‘Onleihe’ (onload), introduced in May 2007, library members are also able to borrow various digital media online, including eBooks, digital audio books, music and videos.

Responsibility:

Local Government

Website:

N/A

Description:

Civil registration services and corresponding certificates are managed by local authorities, most of which provide related information as well as online application services on their websites.

Responsibility:

Central Government (Federal), Central Office for the Allocation of University Places (ZVS)

Website:

http://www.zvs.de/

Description:

Information and online application system.

Responsibility:

Local Government

Website:

N/A

Description:

Change of address notifications are handled by local authorities, most of which provide related information/forms on their websites.

Responsibility:

N/A

Website:

N/A

Description:

This service is not relevant for Germany.