EU Engages Taliban Delegation on Asylum‑Seeker Returns Amid Rights‑Group Criticism

A Taliban delegation is slated to arrive in Brussels on Tuesday after receiving one‑day visas to discuss the return of failed asylum‑seekers to Afghanistan with European officials.

The European Commission has invited the delegation as part of a broader effort to curb irregular migration and accelerate deportations, even though the EU does not formally recognise the Taliban administration.

The proposed talks have provoked strong opposition from human‑rights organisations, which are urging the Commission to cancel the meeting.

A spokeswoman for Belgium’s foreign minister, the host of the visa issuance, told AFP that five visas were granted Monday afternoon following a security assessment. The visas are valid only for Belgium, not for the wider Schengen area, and are limited to a single day.

Belgium declined to disclose the delegation’s exact arrival time for security reasons, but multiple sources and Afghan media reports indicate that the discussions are expected to take place on Tuesday. The delegation is believed to be traveling via Turkey.

Legal and ethical concerns

EU officials maintain that hosting Taliban representatives does not equate to recognising the Kabul government, yet critics—including prominent rights groups—argue that such engagement contradicts the bloc’s core values.

“EU countries undermine their credibility by condemning Taliban abuses while cooperating with the regime to forcibly return Afghans,” said Fereshta Abbasi of Human Rights Watch.

European nations closed their embassies in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in 2021 and imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Women are required to be fully covered in public, barred from many spaces such as parks and gyms, and girls’ education ends at age twelve.

EU migration chief Magnus Brunner defended the outreach, stating that Brussels has no alternative but to negotiate with the Taliban about repatriating irregular migrants from Afghanistan.

Public opinion on migration has hardened across Europe, bolstering far‑right parties and prompting governments to adopt tougher stances. Between 2013 and 2024, EU member states processed roughly one million Afghan asylum applications, approving about half of them.

Last year, 20 of the 27 EU countries expressed interest in returning migrants without a right to stay—particularly those with criminal convictions—to Afghanistan.

“Member states are focused on individuals who have committed serious crimes or pose a security threat,” Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert told journalists on Monday.

Rights organisations have questioned both the legality and morality of sending migrants back to a country suffering a severe humanitarian crisis, with millions facing hunger and economic hardship, according to United Nations estimates.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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