Overview

• MEPs voted to reserve terms such as burger, schnitzel, wurst and steak for animal products, advancing an amendment led by French conservative Céline Imart.
• The decision is not law and will be negotiated with the 27 member states as part of a broader package intended to strengthen farmers in supply‑chain dealings.
• Support came largely from right‑wing groups and parts of the EPP, while many German CDU/CSU MEPs opposed the change despite public backing from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer.
• Retailers and producers including Aldi Süd, Lidl, Burger King and Rügenwalder Mühle urged MEPs to reject the measure, and consumer groups BEUC and Foodwatch argue the names are not confusing and that a ban would be unnecessary.
• Germany, the EU’s largest market for meat alternatives with about 121,600 tonnes produced in 2024, is seen as particularly exposed, and a 2024 EU court ruling against blanket national bans looms over the legal debate.