The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
The meeting was the first EU-hosted talks with Taliban officials in Brussels since the group returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
The talks came as several European Union (EU) countries consider how to return some Afghans who have no right to remain in Europe, including those convicted of serious crimes or considered a security threat.
The European Commission said the meeting was held at a technical level and did not amount to recognition of Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert told a daily press briefing on Monday: “Member States are looking into ways to return persons who have committed serious crimes and who are possibly a security threat.”
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the delegation was led by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the ministry and Director-General of the Fourth Political Department for Europe.
MoFA said the delegation had completed “its visit and series of talks in Brussels at the invitation of the European Union”.
The ministry said: “During the visit, the delegation held multilateral and bilateral meetings with EU member states.”
It added: “Discussions focused on the resumption of consular services for Afghans living in Europe, confidence-building measures, effective engagement, and ways to address the problems facing Afghans whose asylum applications in Europe have been rejected and who are facing numerous challenges.”
Belgium issued restricted one-day visas for the delegation. The visas allowed the officials to stay in Belgium for the meeting but not to travel to other countries in the Schengen area.
Rights groups have warned that returns to Afghanistan could put some Afghans at risk, while the EU says the talks are focused on limited cases.
Afghans remain among the largest groups seeking protection in Europe.
According to Eurostat, Afghans submitted 63,800 first-time asylum applications in the EU in 2025. The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said Afghans lodged around 6,300 applications in EU+ countries in April 2026.
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