Taliban delegation holds first talks with EU officials in Brussels on Afghan deportations

On June 23, 2026, a five-member Taliban delegation met with European Commission staff and representatives from 15 EU nations in Brussels for closed-door, technical-level talks. Co-chaired by Sweden, the meeting focused on facilitating the deportation of irregular Afghan migrants, particularly those deemed security threats or convicted of serious crimes. While EU officials and Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot stressed the talks do not constitute political recognition, rights groups and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai fiercely criticized the engagement, warning it normalizes a regime accused of gender apartheid and crimes against humanity.

EU-Taliban Brussels meeting on deportations

• ▪The European Commission and the Belgian government stated that hosting the technical-level meeting does not constitute official political recognition or legitimacy of the Taliban regime
• ▪A five-member Taliban delegation met with European Commission staff and representatives from 15 European Union nations in Brussels on June 23, 2026
• ▪The Taliban delegation, led by Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi, discussed trust-building measures, diplomatic presence, and restarting consular services for Afghans in the European Union
• ▪The closed-door meeting in Brussels was co-chaired by Sweden and focused on the return of irregular Afghan migrants who have committed serious crimes or pose security threats

EU member state deportation pressure

• ▪The Brussels meeting was initiated after 20 European countries signed a letter in October calling for stronger migration policies and a coordinated approach to ramp up deportations
• ▪Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell stated that roughly 200 Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes, such as aggravated rape and drug trafficking, are currently awaiting deportation in Sweden
• ▪According to Eurostat, out of 14,270 Afghan nationals ordered to leave the European Union in the first nine months of 2025, only 340 were effectively returned, representing a 2 percent return rate

Taliban persecution of women

• ▪The Taliban government has imposed draconian restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan, including banning education beyond primary school and restricting public speech and employment
• ▪Two senior Taliban leaders are currently subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity related to the persecution of women and girls

Rights groups criticize EU

• ▪Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and progressive European Parliament members denounced the meeting, warning that engagement risks normalizing a regime responsible for severe human rights crises
• ▪Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, criticized the European Union for undermining its human rights obligations by cooperating with the Taliban to forcibly return migrants

Afghan deportation risks documented

• ▪Germany has deported more than 100 Afghan citizens since resuming charter flight deportations in August 2024, and Austria has also initiated deportations
• ▪A United Nations report found that returned Afghans, particularly those repatriated from Pakistan and Iran, have faced arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and ill-treatment by Taliban authorities