Turkey and Germany have been arguing over doner kebabs for three years now – the Turks demand that it be made exclusively according to Turkish recipes throughout the European Union, while the Germans resist this. This is stated in the material of The Economist, Komersant ukrainskyi
reports.
Two years ago, Turkey applied to the European Union for doner, made of seasoned meat roasted on a vertical spit, to be protected under the EU’s Guaranteed Traditional Speciality (TSG) scheme. Turkey is not a member of the EU, but it can apply to comply with this regulation. If the EU agrees, doner will have to be prepared according to Turkish specifications, including the type of meat (beef, chicken and lamb are allowed, but veal and turkey are not), as well as the way it is marinated and sliced.
"The 'Traditional Speciality Guaranteed' (TSG) is a scheme for the protection of traditional food products introduced by the legislation of the European Union and the United Kingdom. Unlike the geographically referenced designations, TSG does not require a product to be linked to a specific geographical area, allowing production outside the region of origin. To qualify for TSG status, a product must have a "specific character" and its raw materials, production or processing method must be "traditional". "Specific character" is defined as characteristic production attributes that clearly distinguish a product from others in the same category, and "traditional" is defined as having been used on the domestic market for at least 30 years. TSG grants the exclusive right to use a registered product name only to those producers who adhere to the registered production method and product specifications.
This initiative did not go down well with doner fans in other countries, especially in Germany, where doner is perhaps the most popular street food. Therefore, Germany filed an objection to the Turkish proposal. on 19 September this year, the European Commission gave the parties six months to reach a compromise. If they fail to do so, the Commission will decide on the TSG status for the donor.
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Doner kebabs eaten by Germans are very different from those served in Turkey. The German version, introduced and perfected by Turkish migrant workers in the 1970s and then adopted by other European countries, is usually served wrapped in pita bread, with cabbage or salad on top and drizzled with sauces. In Turkey, doner is usually served on a bed of rice or wrapped in lavash (another type of flat bread), along with fries, tomatoes and hot peppers. Some brave doner masters in Istanbul add melted cheese. But, for example, garlic sauce is an absolute taboo for doner masters in Turkey.
Such differences matter for business. Sales of doner across Europe are worth around €3.5 billion a year, of which €2.3 billion is in Germany. But if Turkey gets its way, the dish that most Europeans know as doner kebab will have to be sold under a new name. How the business will go after that is unknown.
According to the publication, Turks and Germans can agree on one thing: doner has become too expensive. Prices in some restaurants in Germany and Turkey are now approaching €10 per serving.