Turkey Drops Doner Kebab Regulations in Europe: What Does This Mean?

Tue Oct 21 2025 02:14:07 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Turkey's failed attempt to enforce strict doner kebab rules across the EU has sparked discussions about culinary identity and cultural ownership.

Turkey has officially abandoned efforts to impose restrictive rules on doner kebabs sold in the EU, which would have significantly impacted the kebab industry in Germany. The proposed regulations aimed to define ingredients and preparation methods, but faced backlash from German officials and the kebab industry. This decision highlights the complexities surrounding cultural cuisine and identity in modern Europe.

A Turkish attempt to force kebab shops in the EU to adhere to strict rules on how to make a doner kebab has been withdrawn.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 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 a national dish that spread to Europe through the migration of Turks. But German officials said 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), and the name doner is related to that cooking technique.

The Turkish federation asked the EU 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 and marinades would be regulated

The German variant of a kebab often uses veal in a flatbread packed with vegetables including red cabbage, pickles, red onions and topped with sauces — and so could be viewed as a European take on the Turkish classic.

The Turkish federation failed to consult Germany's kebab industry, which hit back with the support of the government in Berlin. The German food and agriculture ministry noted the Turkish bid with some astonishment.

Former German food and agriculture minister Cem Özdemir, stated that deciding how a doner should be eaten in Germany is up to the people there, asserting, The doner belongs to Germany.

If the Turkish federation had followed through with its bid, then a European industry dominated by the Turkish diaspora would have been influenced. In Germany alone, there are over 1.5 million Turkish citizens, and about 60,000 people are employed in the kebab industry, which produces about 400 tonnes of kebab a day.

Ultimately, the Turkish federation withdrew its bid on September 23 due to numerous objections and failed attempts to find a compromise. An EU official indicated that the bid was likely headed for rejection.