European Union officials are preparing to host a delegation of Taliban representatives in the coming weeks for talks on deporting Afghan nationals, APF reported, quoting diplomatic sources.
The planned visit, which has not yet been formally confirmed, would mark a further step in the bloc’s efforts to return Afghans with no legal right to remain in Europe, even as rights groups and the United Nations refugee agency have raised concerns about conditions in Afghanistan.
According to AFP report, the meetings, expected to take place in Brussels before the summer, are being coordinated by the European Commission in conjunction with several member states.
The Taliban delegation is expected to be composed of technical officials rather than senior political figures, the report said.
European officials have already held two rounds of “exploratory” discussions in Afghanistan, focusing on the logistics of deportations. Those talks have included questions about flight arrangements, capacity at Kabul’s airport and the treatment of individuals returned to the country, according to a person involved in the negotiations.
An official invitation to the Taliban authorities has not yet been issued, the sources said, as quoted by AFP.
The initiative reflects growing political pressure within the European Union to tighten migration policies, as public opinion in several member states has shifted and right-wing parties have gained ground.
Around 20 EU countries have been examining ways to deport Afghan migrants, particularly those convicted of crimes. Germany has already deported more than 100 Afghan nationals since 2024, using charter flights facilitated by Qatar, while Austria has taken similar steps.
The planned visit had initially been scheduled for late March but was delayed, according to the sources, who confirmed earlier reporting by the news site Euractiv.
The push to increase deportations has drawn criticism from humanitarian organizations, which point to Afghanistan’s deepening crisis. The country faces widespread poverty, exacerbated by drought and sharp reductions in foreign aid.
The European Union does not formally recognize the Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 and have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Afghan nationals have been among the largest groups seeking asylum in Europe in recent years. Between 2013 and 2024, about one million Afghans applied for asylum in EU countries, and they represented the largest group of applicants last year, according to European data.
