Rights campaigners and European Parliament members have expressed concern over a recent meeting in Brussels between EU officials and a Taliban delegation. They argue that such interactions may legitimize a regime known for suppressing women’s rights, including banning girls from education beyond sixth grade and prohibiting women from speaking or revealing their faces in public since 2024.
The Afghan foreign ministry confirmed the visit, which was facilitated by Belgium’s issuance of single-day visas. This marked the first EU-hosted meeting with the Taliban since their 2021 return to power. Discussions included resuming consular services for Afghans in the EU and exploring trust-building measures, according to Taliban spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
Critics, including Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, condemned the EU’s engagement, arguing it contradicts EU values. MEP Juan Fernando López Aguilar criticized the meeting as undermining the EU’s credibility, emphasizing the inconsistency with previous European Parliament resolutions against the Taliban.
The meeting followed ongoing talks since January about deporting Afghan migrants. López Aguilar argued this approach aligns with far-right immigration rhetoric, stressing that migration is a historical constant and not a threat.
Amid Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, with 40% of the population facing hunger, deporting Afghans risks severe consequences, said Lisa Owen of the International Rescue Committee. A letter from 83 human rights groups warned that returning Afghans could lead to persecution and rights violations.
Despite EU claims that the meeting doesn’t recognize the Taliban, Shagofah Ghafori of the Centre for European Policy Studies warned of the risks of normalizing relations without formal agreements.
Reports indicate that deportees to Afghanistan face detention and ill-treatment, challenging the EU’s legal obligations against exposing individuals to persecution. Hannah Neumann, a German MEP, highlighted that deportations might ultimately strengthen the Taliban by increasing reliance on their networks.
Critics urge the EU to focus on accountability for the Taliban and prioritize humanitarian and legal protection for Afghans rather than facilitating deportations.