EU maintains silence on Taliban envoy visits amid deportation talks

The European Commission has declined to confirm whether Taliban representatives will travel to Brussels for talks on deportations to Afghanistan.

Recent media reports suggested a possible meeting later this summer, but the Commission emphasized that contacts remain at a technical level.

Markus Lammert, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stated on 27 April that ongoing contacts do not imply diplomatic recognition of the Taliban.

These technical communications have been in place since at least August 2021, when the EU announced outreach efforts aimed at protecting women and girls following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.

Since then, the situation for women in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly, with the Taliban issuing around 100 decrees including bans on education and other measures that effectively silence women.

The United Nations noted last August that the Taliban were nearing their goal of erasing women from public life.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that Afghan women can be recognized as refugees based solely on their gender and nationality.

Despite this, the EU's focus has shifted towards deporting Afghan nationals in Europe who have been convicted of crimes, as part of a broader initiative to tighten asylum policies.

In October, about 20 EU interior ministers called on the European Commission to coordinate contacts with the Taliban regarding the return of Afghan nationals without the right to remain in Europe.

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