EU faces kebab identity crisis as Turkey and Germany clash

According to the euronews.com portal, if the EC finds that the 11 objections to the application are justified, then Germany and Turkey will have six months to reach a compromise.

In April 2024, Turkey submitted a request for döner kebab to be protected under the status known as "guaranteed traditional specialty".

This status provides less protection than the "protected designation of origin," which is applied to products specific to a geographical region, such as champagne from the region of the same name in France. Nevertheless, it could impact kebab shop owners, their individual recipes, and customers in Germany.

"Döner" is a traditional meat product prepared by stacking thinly and horizontally sliced pieces of beef, mutton, or chicken onto the horizontally oriented stainless steel skewer called "döner" and then cooking them by rotating the skewer vertically around its axis in front of a fire," the Turkish application states.

According to the proposal, the beef used for döner kebab must come from cattle at least 16 months old. It should be marinated in specified amounts of animal fat, yogurt or milk, onions, salt, and thyme, as well as black, red, and white pepper.

The final product should be cut from the vertical skewer into pieces with a thickness of 3 to 5 millimetres. "The term 'döner' refers to the traditional cooking technique, not a geographical area," Turkey argues.

The word "döner" comes from the Turkish verb "dönmek," which means "to turn." The meat is grilled for many hours on the skewer and is sliced when it becomes crispy and brown.

In Turkey, this dish was originally prepared with lamb and served exclusively on plates. In the 1970s, Turkish immigrants in Berlin decided to serve it in pita bread and modified the recipe to attract Berliners.

"We received Turkey's application with some surprise," Germany's Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture said in a statement to the Associated Press.

The ministry argues that "the kebab is part of Germany." It notes that "the diversity of preparation methods reflects the diversity of our country" and believes "this should be preserved." "In the interest of many kebab fans in Germany, we are obliged to ensure that döner kebab can remain in the form in which it is prepared and consumed here."

If the EC approves Turkey's application, popular kebabs in Germany with vegetables, turkey, and some veal kebabs will not be allowed. The issue is that these are not mentioned in the application, which would cause confusion in the German food industry.

"Everyone should have the opportunity to decide for themselves how it is prepared and consumed in this country. We do not need guidelines from Ankara," wrote Cem Özdemir, the German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, who has Turkish roots, on social media platform X.

According to the Berlin-based Association of Turkish Döner Manufacturers in Europe, this industry generates annual sales of around $3.3 billion in Germany alone and $5.2 billion across Europe.

"From the government to the streets, everyone eats döner kebab," admitted Deniz Buchholz, owner of Kebap With Attitude, who is not worried about potential restrictions. "We will go the Berlin way and find a solution to call it something else," he said, adding that one name could be "vegetarian sandwich."

Kebabs have recently come into the spotlight due to price increases. In recent months, the prices of kebabs in Germany have doubled. Not long ago, one had to pay €4 (about $6), but now rates are $10-$14 (€7-$10).

Due to the high prices of kebabs in Germany, there was even a proposal to implement a maximum price. This move was suggested by the far-left party Die Linke, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused.