A delegation from Afghanistan’s Taliban government is set to hold rare closed-door talks with EU officials in Brussels on Tuesday. The discussions are expected to focus on the return of Afghan civilians from Europe, marking an unusual engagement between the bloc and a regime that none of its 27 member states formally recognize.The meeting comes as several EU governments are trying to speed up the deportation of asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected, as well as individuals who are considered a security risk or have been convicted of serious crimes. According to EU officials, the talks were held in response to requests from member states pressing for stronger cooperation on migrant returns.A five-member Taliban delegation, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Kahar Balkhi, is taking part in the discussions. The visit represents a rare diplomatic opening for the Taliban, which has been largely isolated internationally since returning to power in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US-led forces in 2021.European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert said the talks stemmed from demands by most EU countries for technical contact on returns.“He asked the Commission to coordinate such technical contacts upon return,” Lammert said. “Member states are considering ways to return people who have committed serious crimes and who potentially pose a security threat.”The meeting follows a visit by EU officials to Kabul in January, where the group has a limited presence despite not recognizing the Taliban government.Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stressed that facilitating travel does not amount to recognizing the Taliban administration.“Belgium cannot provide legitimacy to a regime accused of serious human rights violations,” he said in a statement. “Making a meeting possible in the framework of our host-state policy does not equate to recognition, does not equate to legality, and does not constitute an invitation by the Belgian government.”Members of the Taliban delegation were granted visas with limited regional validity, allowing them to stay in Belgium for up to 24 hours without access to other countries in the Schengen travel area.The talks are taking place against a backdrop of growing political pressure to tighten migration policies across Europe. Twenty EU member states signed a letter last October calling for stronger measures to increase deportations and strengthen border controls.One of the supporters of the initiative, Belgian Migration Minister Annelin Van Bossuyt, argued at the time that Europe needed a stronger approach to migration management. EU figures show that only about 2 percent of the 22,870 Afghans ordered to leave the bloc have actually returned.However, human rights groups have strongly criticized the meeting, warning that it risks delegitimizing a government accused of mass abuses, while potentially putting Afghans at risk.“Any engagement with the Taliban should prioritize protecting human rights and accountability, rather than putting people in danger of being deported,” said Fareshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. “EU countries are undermining their credibility by, on the one hand, condemning Taliban abuses and pursuing accountability, while on the other hand, cooperating with the Taliban to forcibly repatriate Afghans.”Amnesty International also condemned the discussion. Eve Geddie, director of Amnesty International’s European Institute office, said it was inappropriate to consider deportations given the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.He said, “The depressing scenes of people, including EU staff, fleeing Afghanistan are a recent memory. It is unfair that the EU would now attempt to deport people to an Afghanistan that has meanwhile become more dangerous.”Since taking power, the Taliban have imposed widespread restrictions on women and girls, including bans on secondary and higher education, limits on employment opportunities, and strict rules governing public behavior. These policies have led most Western governments to prevent formal recognition of the administration.At the same time, Afghanistan is facing a deep humanitarian crisis. Facing economic hardship, food shortages and international sanctions, the country has brought back millions of people from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in the past year.