BRUSSELS — European Union officials plan to host a Taliban delegation in Brussels on Tuesday for discussions that include scaling up the deportation of Afghan migrants. The Belgian foreign ministry issued five single-day visas for the delegation's attendance at the meeting.

The European Commission has been in talks with the Taliban since January regarding the deportation of Afghan migrants. A spokesperson for the European Commission stated, "The talks would be focused on how to return those who 'pose a security threat' to the EU." The EU stated that the meeting in no way constitutes a recognition of the Taliban.

In May, a spokesperson for the European Commission said the meeting had been coordinated with Sweden. Twenty EU member states have called for concrete pathways to deport Afghans who lack legal residence permits or are deemed a security risk. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe.

Juan Fernando López Aguilar, a Socialist MEP, expressed disapproval. "I'm appalled," he said. He added, "It's absolutely an outrage and a total loss of faith and the credibility of the European Union that it can hold such a double standard." He also said, "We're 450 million people all together," and noted, "There's no reason to panic when you talk about a certain number of migrants fleeing from despair or from a lack of opportunities." He stated, "Migration is not a threat, not even a crisis," adding, "It's a constant fact of the history of mankind."

Reshad Jalali, a senior policy analyst with the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, commented on the policies. Jalali stated, "The priority from the EU should be protecting Afghans and defending international law, rather than creating pathways that risk legitimising one of the world's most abusive regimes." He also said, "The real risk is that once deportation is normalised and resumed between the EU and the Taliban de facto authorities, this would create a path for a wider deportation of Afghans without criminal convictions."

Eighty-three Afghan and international human rights groups signed an open letter expressing concern about the EU's intentions. The letter stated, "Afghanistan is currently one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman, and forced return would expose many to persecution, violence and severe deprivation of rights." A report published by the U.N. last year found that many Afghans who were returned to the country experienced arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill treatment at the hands of the authorities.

Two senior Taliban leaders are subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for the persecution of women and girls. The EU has imposed sanctions on several individuals associated with the Taliban regime. About 40% of the population in Afghanistan is affected by hunger, according to the International Rescue Committee.

A charter flight coordinated with Qatar left Germany in August 2024 carrying 28 Afghan citizens. Germany is believed to have deported more than 100 Afghan citizens since August 2024. Austria has begun deportations of Afghan citizens.