Dispute over a uniform doner's pie is in a hot phase
The meat is sometimes cut paper-thin, sometimes it's chunky. Such differences, which are of culinary significance to many doner lovers, would disappear if a proposal from Istanbul prevails. Protests from Germany are coming in response. The EU is investigating the case.
Should there be uniform rules for the production of doner meat throughout Europe? And if so, what should they look like? A tasteless dispute is brewing between the German and Turkish doner lobby over these questions. The background is an initiative by the International Doner Association (Udofed) based in Istanbul. It has applied to the European Union to include doner on the list of "guaranteed traditional specialties".
If the application is granted, doner skewers would have to be produced according to uniform rules throughout the EU in the future. The gastronomy and meat producers in Germany are alarmed and are opposing the initiative with the support of the federal government.
A criticism point: If the application is accepted, the common use of veal and young beef, as well as turkey meat, for doner production in Germany would become illegal. According to the Turkish application, doner must consist of meat from at least sixteen-month-old cattle or leg and/or back meat from at least six-month-old sheep. The only alternative would be doner made from chicken meat, which would have to be made from chicken breast and/or chicken legs. It would also be precisely regulated which ingredients are allowed in the marinade, how thick the meat slices should be, and how long they should be marinated.
EU investigates objections from Germany
How the dispute will end could be decided soon. According to information from the German Press Agency, the hot phase of the examination procedure for the application submitted in 2022 has recently begun. The EU Commission, as the competent authority, is currently examining the objections. If they are deemed admissible, it will order consultations for dispute resolution. If no mutually acceptable solution is found in these consultations, a committee of representatives of the EU member states will have to deal with the case. This could then instruct the Commission by majority vote on whether to grant the application or not.
Among the prominent German opponents of the Turkish initiative is Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir. "The doner belongs to Germany. How it is prepared and eaten here should be decided by each person themselves. There's no need for guidelines from Ankara," the Green politician criticizes on the social network X.
Ministry and manufacturers fear negative consequences
Moreover, a ministry spokesman said that if the application were to be accepted, noticeable economic impacts on manufacturers and sales outlets could be expected. In addition to the ministry, the Association of Turkish Doner Manufacturers in Europe and the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) have also filed objections with the EU against the application for the registration of doner as a traditional specialty.
The DEHOGA argues similarly to the ministry. If the application were granted, it would have serious consequences for gastronomic businesses and consumers: "The consequences would necessarily be new designations for Döner dishes, resulting in ambiguities and lack of transparency, difficulties in delimitation and legal uncertainties." It is clear, for example, that there would no longer be any vegetable Döner. However, the continuation of production in Germany would not be a problem. Unlike the EU seal "protected geographical indication", which ensures that champagne, for example, can only be produced in the French wine region of Champagne, the EU seal "guaranteed traditional speciality" is significantly weaker.
Salad and sauce still to taste
According to the federal government, the production process is not tied to any particular region, and the only decisive factor is adherence to the traditional recipe or method of production. So far, this category includes products such as hay milk or Pizza Napoletana. The preparation of Döner dishes is also not affected by the application. For example, it would not be regulated what kind of salad and sauce would go into a Döner wrap.
It is still completely unclear why the International Döner Association has submitted an application that even the Association of Turkish Döner Manufacturers in Europe does not agree with. There has been no clear answer to questions from the German Press Agency on this topic, and the application itself does not explain why established production methods that have been used in Germany for decades should no longer be used in the future.
The application even refers to the fact that Döner has become a cultural symbol of Turkish immigration to Germany, especially the variant in which Döner is served with salad, onions, tomato slices, and sauce in flatbread. According to the Association of Turkish Döner Manufacturers in Europe, Döner was first made in Berlin in 1972 by the Turkish worker Kadir Nurman, as stated in the application. "Since then, the name and method of production have remained unchanged and have spread in Germany and other European countries."
The applicants write that the Dictionary of the Turkish Language of the Türk Dil Kurumu describes Döner as a type of Kebab in which meat slices are stacked horizontally on a metal rod, known as a Döner spit, and cooked in a vertical position in front of a heat source by rotating around its axis. The term comes from the verb "dönmek", which means "to turn" in German. Kebab is a general term that is used for all types of meat that are cooked in front of a heat source and originally comes from Arabic.
Association in Turkey shows willingness to talk
Meanwhile, the applicants are already backing down a bit. They want to harm no one, least of all the German market, says Huriye Özener, consultant for the International Döner Association in Turkey to the German Press Agency. It is only about protecting the tradition and the preparation of the meat and having it recognized that Döner comes from Turkey. As for the use of beef and chicken, one could sit down at a table and talk about it. The EU Commission's dispute settlement procedure could already start in a few weeks.
What the numbers on the website of the European Association of Turkish Doner Producers are all about:
They estimate that around 400 tons of doner are produced daily across Europe, employing approximately 60,000 people in the industry. In Germany alone, the doner sector generates around 2.4 billion euros in annual turnover, with this figure reaching approximately 3.5 billion euros across Europe.
Meanwhile, the doner debate in Germany has even led politicians who usually promote regional specialties to declare themselves as doner fans. For instance, Bavaria's Minister-President Markus Söder recently tweeted that doner is "definitely among the top 3" of his favorite dishes, preceded only by roast pork and chicken.
- Given the ongoing investigation by the EU, it's crucial for German politicians and meat producers to present strong arguments against the Turkish initiative to include doner on the list of "guaranteed traditional specialties."
- If the EU ultimately decides to grant the Turkish application, changes in the production and labeling of doner meat in Germany could pose significant challenges for both the meat industry and consumers.
