Overview
- EU institutions and about 15 member states held a closed, technical meeting with a five‑member Taliban delegation in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss identification, travel documents and readmission of Afghan nationals without a right to stay.
- Belgium issued five one‑day, Belgium‑only visas after a security check to allow the delegation led by Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi to travel to the talks.
- EU officials said the meeting focused on returning people judged to have committed serious crimes or to pose security risks and on practical consular arrangements rather than diplomatic recognition.
- Human rights groups, activists and public figures condemned the outreach as a risk to returnees' safety given Afghanistan's severe humanitarian crisis and extensive restrictions on women and girls.
- The Brussels talks follow a January Commission mission to Kabul and reflect pressure from a majority of member states to improve repatriation systems, with possible effects on future deportation operations and EU migration policy.