EU invites Taliban members to discuss Afghan migrant returns

"The European Commission has invited representatives of the Taliban to Brussels for talks on deporting Afghan nationals who have been refused permission to stay in the European Union. The invitation follows a preliminary meeting for "technical talks" that took place this January in Afghanistan, European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert said on Tuesday, classifying the planned Brussels discussions as a "follow-up." He said the invitation to Brussels "does not by any means constitute a recognition" of the Taliban as the Afghan government."

"The EU does not formally recognize the Taliban's leadership, after its sudden return to power amid the NATO withdrawal just over five years ago in early 2021. "does not by any means constitute a recognition" of the Taliban as the Afghan government. The Commission spokesman said that 20 EU members and Schengen countries originally requested the consultations last year."

"The countries launching the petition complained that of Afghans issued return orders by EU countries in 2024, only 2% were actually sent back. Lammert said most had either been convicted of crimes or been deemed a security threat, or both. "We're speaking here about persons who pose a security threat. These are the persons that member states want to return," Lammert said."

"A letter was sent on Tuesday morning seeking to set a date for talks, after cooperation between Commission officials and Sweden. Sweden and Germany had been among the countries pushing for movement on the issue, in Germany's case after a high-profile knife attack by an Afghan national who had previously been ordered to leave the country featured heavily in the news in the closing weeks of the 2025 federal election cycle."

The European Commission invited Taliban representatives to Brussels for talks focused on deporting Afghan nationals who have been refused permission to stay in the European Union. The invitation follows preliminary “technical talks” held in Afghanistan in January, described as a follow-up. The Commission said the invitation does not constitute recognition of the Taliban as the Afghan government, and the EU does not formally recognize Taliban leadership. Twenty EU member states and Schengen countries requested consultations. The countries involved said that in 2024 only 2% of Afghans issued return orders were actually sent back. Most cases involved people convicted of crimes, deemed security threats, or both. The Commission said the talks target individuals posing security threats. A letter was sent to set a date, with Sweden and Germany among the main drivers of the effort.

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