Turkey Withdraws Kebab Regulation Bid Amid German Backlash

Tue Oct 21 2025 15:29:28 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Turkey has formally abandoned its efforts to impose stringent regulations on doner kebabs made in Europe, which would have significantly impacted Germany's kebab industry. This move comes after widespread objections and debates over culinary identity.

Turkey's attempt to have the doner kebab recognized under the EU's 'Traditional Specialty Guaranteed' label has been scrapped. The proposal aimed to impose regulations on ingredient use, but faced opposition from Germany, where the kebab has evolved into a beloved national dish. Key points include disagreements over ingredient specifications and the cultural significance of the kebab in Europe versus its roots in Turkey. The withdrawal follows an extensive backlash from the German kebab sector and the European Commission, leading to the conclusion that the proposal would likely have been rejected.

A Turkish attempt to force kebab shops in the EU to adhere to strict rules on how to make a doner kebab has been withdrawn.

If the bid for a 'Traditional Speciality Guaranteed' label had succeeded, restrictions would have been imposed on the types of ingredients that could be used.

Germany's kebab industry would have been particularly skewered, as the quintessential high street doner has evolved over the decades to be rather different than the original from Turkey.

Turkish authorities argued the doner should be viewed as a national dish that spread to Europe through the migration of Turks. But German officials maintained that its take on the kebab had become part of its own national cuisine.

The traditional way of cooking meat on a vertical rotisserie goes back to the 16th Century, according to Turkey's International Doner Federation (Udofed). The name doner is related to that cooking technique.

Um do so, they sought to impose uniform rules across the bloc requiring that:

The meat would come from a cow aged over 16 months, lamb aged at least six months, or chicken thighs and breasts.
Veal and turkey meat would be banned.
Meat would have to be sliced to a thickness of 3-5mm.
The type of knife used would be regulated, and marinades would also be subject to rules.

The German variant of a kebab often uses veal in a flatbread packed with various vegetables and topped with sauces, constituting a unique European interpretation of the dish.

The Turkish federation failed to consult the German kebab industry, which responded strongly with government support.

The German food and agriculture ministry noted the Turkish bid 'with some astonishment' last year. Former minister Cem Özdemir insisted that how a doner is consumed in Germany is a matter for its own people, dismissing the need for guidelines from Turkey.

If Udofed had pursued its application, it would have impacted a European industry heavily influenced by the Turkish diaspora. With over 1.5 million Turkish citizens residing in Germany and a similar number of Turkish descent, the industry employs around 60,000 people and produces approximately 400 tonnes of kebab daily.

Annual sales generate about €3.5 billion across Europe, with €2.4 billion in Germany alone. The Turkish federation informed the European Commission of the application withdrawal on September 23, after receiving numerous objections, with the proposal heading towards rejection anyway.