EU to hold migration meeting with Taliban officials in Brussels

The European Union is due to hold a migration meeting with Taliban officials in Brussels, in a development that would mark the bloc's first such hosting of the group since it returned to power in Afghanistan almost five years ago. The talks are expected to focus on the deportation and readmission of Afghan nationals who do not have a right to stay in Europe. Belgium has issued five visas to a Taliban delegation for the visit, with the permits valid for one day only after a security assessment.

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A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the visas were granted on Monday and were limited to Belgium for a single day. The European Commission said it had invited Taliban officials to discuss irregular migration from Afghanistan to the 27-member bloc, including the return of Afghan people in the EU whose asylum applications have been rejected. The Commission also said the meeting does not amount to formal recognition of the Taliban.

The EU has not identified which Taliban representatives were invited, and several senior Taliban leaders remain under EU sanctions. The planned meeting comes as European governments continue to look for ways to return people who have committed serious crimes or are considered a security threat. Commission spokesman Markus Lammert said member states are examining options in that area and that the Commission is following up on that initiative.

According to a letter seen by Reuters and addressed to Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a Taliban foreign ministry spokesman, the discussion will centre on the return and readmission of Afghan nationals without a right to stay in the European Union. Rights groups have criticised the plan, warning that engagement should prioritise human rights and accountability. The talks also highlight the wider challenge facing European governments over Afghan migration since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.

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After that takeover, European governments shut their embassies in Kabul, while the Taliban imposed sweeping restrictions on women's movement, girls' education beyond primary school and access to employment. Those changes have shaped the political and legal debate in Europe over whether and how to deal with Taliban authorities on migration and deportation issues. The Brussels meeting therefore sits at the intersection of border policy, asylum enforcement and diplomatic contact with an unrecognised government.

The issue is significant because it could affect how EU states handle Afghan asylum cases and removals in the months ahead. It also raises questions about the balance between migration control and human rights concerns, particularly given the Taliban's record since returning to power. The Commission has stressed that the meeting is limited to migration discussions, but the fact that it is taking place at all is likely to draw scrutiny from governments, rights organisations and Afghan communities in Europe.

What remains unclear is which Taliban officials will attend, whether the meeting will produce any practical agreement, and how member states will respond if talks on returns and readmission move forward.

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