Gyros to attain EU Certification as a Greek food item

Gyros, one of Greece’s most recognized food specialties, is officially recognized as being Greek and its a ministerial signature away from attaining Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) status, based on European Union regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has fast-tracked the process, as representatives of the Association of Greek Meat Processing Industries (SEVEK) have already completed the package of documents needed for the certification of gyros as a TSG product.

Gyros is an integral part of Greek gastronomy and it is prepared and cooked in a very specific way, based on a traditional practice and made with certain meats. It can be made with pork, beef, lamb, or chicken.

After the certification procedure, gyros will be a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG) food product.

It is estimated that the process of national consultation is expected to begin in January 2019 and will last for two months. The completed file will then be sent to the European Commission and it is estimated that after 12-18 months it will be at the final stage for certification at European level.

However, it is clarified that the TSG certification could only be used within the European Union.

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