Five years after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, EU-Taliban tensions are exposing a difficult balance between human rights concerns and Europe’s migration priorities. Former Afghan women’s affairs minister Sima Samar says she feels disappointed by the EU’s decision to engage with Taliban representatives.
The Taliban delegation visited Brussels in June for talks focused on migration and the return of Afghan nationals. Samar, now living in exile in the United States, said the meeting risked giving the Taliban a degree of political recognition.
I was so disappointed because we really count on European countries,Samar told Euronews.
She argued that European governments have long promoted universal human rights. For that reason, she said, talks with Taliban officials create a troubling contradiction.
Afghanistan Faces a Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
The Taliban takeover on 15 August 2021 followed the withdrawal of US forces after almost two decades of military involvement in Afghanistan.
Since then, Afghanistan has faced severe economic and humanitarian challenges. The International Committee of the Red Cross continues to describe the situation as one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises.
UN estimates suggest that about 21.9 million Afghans, or roughly 45% of the population, may need humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Years of conflict, economic weakness and limited investment in basic services have added to the pressure. At the same time, restrictions on fundamental rights have intensified.
Women and Girls Face Severe Restrictions
Women and girls remain at the center of the EU-Taliban tensions.
The Taliban has restricted girls access to education beyond the sixth grade and prevented women from attending universities. Authorities have also pushed women out of many workplaces and imposed restrictions on movement, travel and clothing.
Human Rights Watch has described the policies as gender persecution and said they may amount to crimes against humanity.
Samar said the restrictions have dramatically reduced women’s freedom.
She also criticized rules that limit women’s ability to speak publicly and move freely without a male guardian.
In May, a majority of European Parliament members condemned restrictions affecting women, girls and minorities. They also criticized public floggings and executions.
EU Defends Its Engagement With the Taliban
Despite the criticism, the European Commission says its engagement does not amount to recognition of the Taliban government.
Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said the EU remains deeply concerned about systematic human rights violations in Afghanistan.
She explained that EU member states authorized the bloc to maintain operational contact with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities in 2021.
However, Hipper stressed that the EU does not recognize or legitimize the Taliban. Instead, officials use direct contact to discuss issues linked to European interests and values.
The EU says those discussions also allow it to raise concerns about human rights violations and consider targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for abuses.
Migration Talks Spark Controversy
The latest dispute centers on closed-door migration discussions held on 23 June.
European Commission officials, representatives from 15 EU member states and Taliban delegates attended the meeting. Officials held the talks away from official EU premises.
The Taliban said the discussions focused on returning Afghan nationals who have no legal right to remain in Europe.
The European Commission said officials wanted to speed up returns involving people convicted of serious crimes or considered security threats.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed concern about deporting Afghans to a country where they could face torture.
Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell defended deportations involving Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes. He argued that governments sometimes need to negotiate with authoritarian regimes to protect their national interests.
Afghan Returns Remain Difficult
European countries have struggled to return Afghan nationals.
Eurostat data show that 14,270 Afghan nationals received orders to leave the EU during the first nine months of 2025. Only 340 actually returned, producing a return rate of about 2%.
Meanwhile, migration from Afghanistan continues.
More than 3,300 Afghans crossed EU borders irregularly during the first four months of 2026, with many using the Eastern Mediterranean route. More than 63,000 Afghan nationals also sought asylum in the EU during 2025.
Samar believes the difficult conditions inside Afghanistan help explain why many Afghans attempt to reach Europe.
She argued that legal routes remain difficult to access while conditions inside Afghanistan remain dangerous.
For now, the EU faces a difficult choice: maintain practical contact with the Taliban to address migration and security issues, or limit engagement to avoid giving the regime greater legitimacy. The debate is likely to continue as Afghanistan enters its fifth year under Taliban rule.
