The European Commission has confirmed it’s preparing to meet with senior Taliban officials to discuss the possibility of deporting migrants from Europe to Afghanistan. The move comes as the EU has gradually toughened its migration policy in recent years, rapidly implementing measures that just a few years ago would have been considered unacceptable.
Analysts note that the EU, determined to expand its deportation options, is increasingly adopting a “regulation-free” approach. Beyond previous agreements with Tunisia and Egypt, the bloc is now executing another step: engagement with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
The Taliban terror organization seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the U.S. military withdrew from the country following 20 years in the region. The Taliban is known for enforcing strict Islamic laws that violate human rights, particularly women’s rights. The regime also supports terrorism, views any entity or state that doesn’t share its ideology as an enemy, and routinely threatens its neighbors—especially Iran and Pakistan.
The European Commission’s invitation to a Taliban delegation has prompted human rights organizations and left-wing political groups to oppose and sharply criticize the move. The development has reignited debate across the continent between those who argue the migration problem must be addressed at any cost and those who believe even migration solutions must have limits.
Crucially, the EU does not recognize the Taliban government—making the invitation all the more unusual. According to diplomatic sources, the Brussels meeting, whose details are still taking shape, is expected to focus on finding “practical and diplomatic” ways to increase the return of migrants who aren’t eligible for asylum, particularly those with criminal records.
Data from the EU’s asylum agency shows Afghans had the highest number of asylum applications across the bloc last year, with 17,000 requests. The move to hold talks with the Taliban follows an appeal from roughly 20 countries to Brussels, urging it to find ways to increase migrant returns to Afghanistan. These countries include Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland. Spain, on the other hand, did not sign the appeal.