Photo credit: Euractiv
The European Commission is planning an unprecedented first meeting with Taliban officials in Brussels to discuss deporting Afghan migrants back to the Taliban-controlled country.
United24 Media reports that commision spokesman Markus Lammert confirmed that the EU executive and the Swedish Justice Ministry have sent a letter to the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to inquire about their availability. The planned technical-level talks, requested by several member states, will focus specifically on the return of individuals “who pose a security threat,” according to Reuters.
Lammert stressed that the meeting does not imply formal EU recognition of the Taliban government. Western nations have refused to officially recognize the hard-line Islamistb group since it overthrew the US- and NATO-backed Afghan government in 2021. However, EU officials previously engaged in lower-level talks with the Taliban in Kabul earlier this January, Reuters noted.
The potential meeting has sparked fierce backlash from human rights organizations. Advocates warn that engaging the Taliban undermines core European principles and violates the principle of non-refoulement by returning vulnerable people to a regime known for severe abuses.
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has systematically rolled back civil liberties, heavily restricting women’s movements, banning girls from secondary education, and enforcing strict morality laws. Compounding the human rights crisis, Afghanistan is currently mired in a severe humanitarian disaster, with the UN World Food Program estimating that more than 17 million people are food insecure.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe since the 2021 takeover. While the EU permits the deportation of individuals convicted of serious crimes or deemed security risks, forced returns to Afghanistan have remained largely halted due to the lack of formal diplomatic relations with Kabul.
The EU’s cautious, unofficial engagement contrasts with Moscow’s full diplomatic embrace of the hardline group. Russia had previously become the first country to formally recognize the Taliban government after accepting the credentials of its new ambassador in Moscow.
