Saed News: In April, Turkey submitted a request to the European Commission to register döner kebab, also known as Turkish kebab.
According to SAEDNEWS, citing Asr Iran, Turkey submitted a request in April to register döner kebab with the European Commission so that only producers who cook it according to the officially registered method would be allowed to produce it. German producers officially objected to Turkey’s request within the European Union on July 25 (August 4, 1403 in the Iranian calendar), creating a dispute that initiated a six-month conflict resolution period. This six-month process will conclude with consultations among European Union member states regarding intellectual property ownership.
A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed to Euronews that the request was ultimately opposed, although EU executives declined to officially confirm the outcome. Two sources close to the matter told Euronews that the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, based in Bonn, submitted objections to Turkey’s request. These sources stated that the German ministry acted based on feedback and positions presented by several German producers and considered the resistance to Turkey’s application as reflecting the views of German manufacturers rather than the German government itself.
The next stage of the process includes the Commission evaluating whether the objection is admissible and then facilitating negotiations between the applicant and the opposing side. Both parties will have six months to reach an agreement. If an agreement is reached, it must be reported to the Commission within one month. Whether or not an agreement is achieved, the final decision regarding the registration request will rest with the Commission.
Turkey is seeking the “Traditional Speciality Guaranteed” label, similar to the protection granted to Neapolitan Pizza from Italy and Jamón Serrano from Spain. Although this label does not provide the highest level of intellectual protection for food products in Europe, Turkey’s goal in registering döner in Europe is to ensure that only producers adhering to the registered methods and specifications can prepare it.
If approved, slices of beef and lamb must be “cut horizontally with a thickness of 3 to 5 millimeters” in order to be labeled as döner. Chicken slices, meanwhile, must have a thickness of 1 to 2 centimeters.
