In Germany, recipients of social assistance transfers and of long term unemployment benefits (Arbeitslosengeld II) are exempted from paying contributions to public service broadcasting. But this exemption brings about allocative inefficiencies by creating negative incentives for the recipients...

"The rental housing market plays an important role for the German housing supply. More than 40 % of the rental housing is provided by professional housing companies. Most of them are owned by the public sector. These companies face different development patterns of the housing market ñ and...