EU to force Germany and Türkiye to resolve kebab dispute

The EU could force Ankara and Berlin to end their long-running row over the status of the doner kebab, a food staple of Turkish origin hugely popular in Germany, The Economist has reported. The European Commission will give the two countries six months to reach a compromise, or decide on the fate of the kebab itself, according to the outlet.

The row over the doner kebab began two years ago when Ankara applied to the EU to have the dish registered as a Turkish specialty, alongside the likes of Italy’s Neapolitan pizza or Spain’s Jamon Serrano. While Türkiye is not an EU member, the bloc has a Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG) scheme which allows member states or third countries to apply for protection of traditional food staples. If given TSG status, the doner would have to be prepared based on specifications established by Ankara across the entire EU.

In April, Brussels issued a preliminary agreement to register the dish for Türkiye and published Ankara’s bid on its official website. However, Germany, where the doner kebab has become hugely popular since being introduced by Turkish immigrants in the 1970s, was quick to lodge an objection. Berlin opposed certain details in the application, such as meat types and other ingredients. Over the summer, it repeatedly argued that granting TSG status to Ankara would impact local meat production and could potentially drive up the cost of the dish.

According to reports, the European Commission has received 11 objections to the Turkish bid. It was expected to decide whether they have merit by September 24, but has so far not announced a decision. If Brussels finds the complaints legitimate, it is reportedly expected to give Berlin and Ankara six months to resolve their differences. Should they fail to do so, it would decide on Türkiye’s bid itself.

Germany’s minister of food and agriculture, Cem Ozdemir, who is of Turkish origin, earlier argued that the move would be an “intervention in the German market with a tangible economic impact.”

“[The] kebab belongs to Germany. Everyone should be able to prepare and eat kebabs as they wish. There is no need to get directives from Ankara on this issue,” he stated in a post on X.

Meanwhile, the International Doner Federation in Istanbul has argued that the snack is a vital part of Türkiye’s culinary heritage and should be prepared by Turkish rules.

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According to the European Commission, doner kebab sales in Europe top €3.5 billion (around $4 billion) per year, including roughly €2.3 billion in Germany. If Ankara’s bid is granted, the doner kebab would become the first traditional product name registered in the EU from Türkiye.

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