Despite the Brussels meetings, no European nation has formally recognized the Taliban administration.
In a historic and highly controversial move, a Taliban delegation has traveled to Brussels for the first time to conduct talks with the European Union, sparking sharp condemnation from human rights advocates.
The discussions, held on Tuesday, centered on the restoration of diplomatic services and the establishment of “dignified returns” for Afghan nationals residing in Europe. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the visit as a milestone, marking the first instance of direct engagement between the Afghan government and the European Commission and EU member states on Brussels soil.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021 following two decades of conflict, the EU and its member nations have maintained a policy of non-recognition toward the regime.
However, Brussels has justified these limited engagements with Afghanistan’s “de facto authorities” as a pragmatic necessity to facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers who are deemed dangerous or who have been convicted of crimes.
A European Commission spokesperson confirmed that officials from 15 EU member states participated in the meeting, which took place at a confidential location as a follow-up to prior discussions held in Kabul in January.
“The Commission services and Sweden co-chaired a technical-level meeting today in Brussels with technical-level representatives of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan responsible for return and readmission,” the spokesperson stated.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry indicated a wider scope for the talks, citing goals such as establishing a consular presence within the EU, resuming consular services for Afghan citizens, and implementing “trust-building measures.”
While Afghans constitute one of the largest asylum-seeking populations in the EU, there is growing pressure among European governments to accelerate the removal of individuals whose asylum claims have been denied or who have committed criminal offenses.
Human rights organizations have slammed the encounter, arguing that it grants legitimacy to the Taliban and violates the EU’s own human rights commitments, potentially placing individuals in both Europe and Afghanistan at risk.
“Any engagement with the Taliban needs to prioritize protecting human rights and accountability – not deporting people to danger there,” stated Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. “EU countries are undermining their credibility by condemning Taliban abuses and pursuing accountability on one hand, while cooperating with the Taliban to forcibly return Afghans on the other.”
Because no EU state recognizes the regime, the meeting represents a potential diplomatic opening for the group. Since seizing power five years ago, the Taliban has severely curtailed women’s rights and freedom of movement, banned girls from secondary and higher education, and implemented strict morality laws that stifle free expression and employment opportunities.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Afghan activist Malala Yousafzai expressed her alarm over the developments on Monday.
“Europe must not legitimise a regime responsible for one of the worst human rights crises in the world. Any engagement with the Taliban must begin and end with the rights of Afghan women and girls,” she wrote on X.
