Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002591/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kosma Złotowski (ECR)
In April 2024, Türkiye submitted an application to the Commission for döner to be granted Traditional Specialities Guaranteed status (TSG). If this status were to be granted, kebab would have to be prepared and served following a strictly defined Turkish recipe, among other things requiring specific marinated meats to be used.
Germany, where Turkish migrants popularised döner kebab in the 1970s, opposed the request, arguing that the dish has become integral to German culinary culture and can be found in a range of forms that reflect the country’s own diversity. The German method of preparing döner kebab has gained widespread popularity across Europe, especially in Poland where research shows that the kebab industry is worth over PLN 2.5 billion, with Poles consuming up to 5 million kebabs every day. Kebabs are now served in a variety of ways, including vegetarian versions.
The Commission gave the two parties six months to reach a compromise. However, no such understanding was reached and the Commission committed to making a decision itself as to whether or not döner kebab would be granted TSG status.
- 1.Why has the Commission still not made a final decision in this case and when will it do so?
- 2.If TSG status is granted to döner kebabs, will it really become obligatory to follow one specific recipe across the EU and, if so, will regional variations of the dish be recognised as their own specialities?
- 3.What action will the Commission take if Member States object to the decision to grant TSG status?
Submitted: 26.6.2025