Should there be uniform rules for kebab production across Europe? And if so, what should they be? These issues are the subject of a fierce dispute between the German and Turkish kebab industries.
The background to this is an initiative by the International Association of Kebab Producers (Udofed), based in Istanbul. It has submitted an application to the European Union to include kebabs on the EU list of “guaranteed traditional specialities”. If the application is accepted, kebabs would have to be produced according to uniform rules throughout the EU. The catering industry and meat producers in Germany are opposed to this idea, and they also have the support of the government German.
If Udofed's application is accepted, the common practice in Germany of using veal, young beef and turkey meat to make kebabs will become illegal. According to the application from Turkey the kebab should consist of meat from cattle at least sixteen years old, legs or back meat from sheep at least six months old. The only alternative would therefore be a chicken kebab, which would have to be prepared from chicken breasts or thighs. For example, the ingredients used for the marinade and the thickness of the meat slices, as well as the time of its marinating, would also be precisely specified.
EU examines concerns from Germany
We will find out soon how the dispute will end. According to the DPA news agency, the assessment procedure for application The Udofed, submitted in 2022, has now entered a heated phase. Therefore, the European Commission, as the relevant authority, has been examining the appeals from Germany for several days. If they are considered justified, the Commission will order consultations to resolve the dispute. If they do not bring an amicable solution, the matter will be dealt with by a committee composed of representatives of the EU Member States. And this could order, by a majority vote, to approve the application or not.
Prominent German opponents of the Turkish application include Minister agriculture Cem Özdemir. “Kebab belongs to Germany. How it is prepared and eaten, everyone should be able to decide for themselves. We do not need any guidelines from Ankara,” criticizes the Green politician on the X platform.
Fears of negative effects
A spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture also said that if the Turkish application is accepted, it is expected to have a noticeable economic impact on producers and outlets. In addition to the ministry, the Association of Turkish Kebab Producers in Europe and the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) have filed an objection to the EU against the application to register kebab as a traditional specialty.
According to DEHOGA, the adoption of the proposal would have serious consequences for both catering businesses and consumers. “The consequences would involve the introduction of new names for kebab dishes, which would lead to confusion and lack of transparency, difficulties in differentiation and legal uncertainties,” the association points out. It is clear, for example, that there can no longer be any vegetable kebabs.
It is still completely unclear why the International Association of Kebab Producers in Istanbul submitted a motion that does not even correspond to the Association of Turkish Kebab Producers in Europe. There was no clear answer to the DPA agency's inquiries, and it is also not clear from the motion itself why the methods of kebab production used in Germany for decades should not be used. It even points out that the kebab has become a cultural symbol of Turkish immigration to Germany. Especially the version in which it is served in bread with lettuce, onion, tomato slices and sauce.
According to information provided by the Association of Turkish Kebab Producers in Europe, the kebab was first produced in Berlin in 1972 by Turkish worker Kadir Nurman. Since then, the association says, the name and production process have remained unchanged and have spread to Germany and other European countries.
Udofed ready to talk
The applicants are now backing off a bit. They don't want to harm anyone with this application, especially the German market, Huriye Özener, an advisor to the International Kebab Association in Turkey, told DPA. It's all about protecting tradition and preparing the meat. And recognizing that kebab comes from Turkey. If it's about using veal and turkey, for example, you can sit down at the table and talk about it. The dispute settlement procedure by the European Commission could start in a few weeks.
The figures posted on the website of the Association of Turkish Kebab Producers in Europe show, beyond the symbolism, what is actually at stake. They show that around 400 tons of kebab were produced daily in Europe recently, and the number of people employed in the industry was around 60,000. The kebab sector generates annual sales of around 2.4 billion euro in Germany and around EUR 3.5 billion throughout Europe.
Meanwhile, the kebab controversy in Germany is making even politicians who usually promote regional specialities fans. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder wrote on X that kebabs are “definitely in the top three” of his favorite foods. Only grilled sausages and chicken are ahead of them. (DPA/jar)
The article comes from the website German Welle