Belgium has granted a one-day visa to a Taliban delegation invited to Brussels for migration discussions with European Union officials, allowing the group to enter the country but restricting travel beyond Belgian territory and preventing movement within the Schengen area.
The delegation received the visas on Monday afternoon, according to Belgium’s national news agency, which cited the office of Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot. Belgian and European authorities have declined to confirm the exact date of the meeting, citing security reasons, but the talks are expected to take place at the European Commission in Brussels.
The meeting is described by EU officials as a technical-level discussion with representatives of Afghanistan’s de facto authorities. The European Union has not formally recognized the Taliban government since the group returned to power in 2021, following which Afghanistan has faced continued humanitarian challenges and international criticism over restrictions on human rights, particularly those affecting women.
The planned talks follow an earlier meeting held in Kabul in January. The European Commission said the Brussels meeting was arranged in response to a request from 20 EU member states and Schengen-associated countries seeking practical and diplomatic options related to the return of Afghan migrants without legal residency status in the bloc.
Belgium and Germany led the initiative, which was also supported by countries including Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Spain did not sign the request. The participating governments called for measures to facilitate voluntary and forced returns of Afghans without legal permission to remain in the European Union, particularly those considered by authorities to have committed serious crimes or pose security risks.
The European Commission said the countries involved were focusing on individuals who have committed serious offenses or represent a threat to public security. The discussions are taking place as several European governments seek new arrangements for migrant returns.
The meeting comes shortly after reports that Germany reached an agreement with Taliban authorities to accelerate the deportation of convicted criminals to Afghanistan. According to the German newspaper Bild, the arrangement could allow up to three charter deportation flights per month as well as an unlimited number of individual deportations on regular flights.
The decision to host a Taliban delegation at a European institution has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and political groups that argue the engagement could amount to recognition of the Taliban administration. United Nations Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett described the plans as highly concerning and said forced returns could violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits deportations to countries where individuals may face persecution or serious human rights violations.
European officials have maintained that the Brussels meeting is limited to technical discussions and does not represent formal recognition of the Taliban authorities. The talks are taking place as the European Parliament recently approved new return regulations that allow for the establishment of deportation centers in third countries.
