Twenty European countries have urged the European Commission to make the return of Afghan nationals living illegally in Europe a top priority — including negotiating with the Taliban to facilitate deportations, Euronews reported.
In a joint letter to EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, the countries called for measures to enable both voluntary and forced returns of Afghans who are not authorized to remain in the EU, the report said.
The initiative, led by Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt, comes amid growing political pressure over migration and security concerns.
Countries supporting the effort include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway.
Van Bossuyt said in a statement that the inability to deport Afghan nationals — even those convicted of crimes — has “undermined public trust in asylum policy” and poses “serious security risks” for member states.
According to the report, the letter urges the Commission to consider engaging with Taliban authorities to negotiate a formal return mechanism. Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the EU has lacked a functioning agreement for repatriating Afghan nationals.
Van Bossuyt also called for a stronger role for Frontex, the EU’s border agency, in coordinating voluntary returns through the European Reintegration Programme. For forced returns, the letter proposes prioritizing individuals considered dangerous or criminal, with a possible joint repatriation mission involving the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and participating member states.
Germany, under the conservative government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has already taken steps toward resuming deportations. In July, it chartered a flight that returned 81 Afghans — one of the first large-scale removals since 2021. Afghan nationals currently make up the second-largest group of asylum seekers in Germany.
Germany’s efforts have drawn criticism from the United Nations. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, said Afghanistan remains under a “non-return advisory” due to ongoing instability. Another UN official, Arafat Jamal, warned that the agency continues to document human rights abuses inside the country.
