MEP Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE) has questioned the European Commission about the meeting held on 23 June 2026 between the Commission, several Member States, and a Taliban delegation in Brussels to discuss migration issues, particularly the return of Afghan migrants. Garraud's parliamentary question, submitted on 29 June 2026, seeks clarity on the concrete outcomes of the talks and whether the EU is risking de facto recognition of the Taliban regime.
first, what concrete results were achieved regarding the return of Afghan nationals subject to return decisions; second, whether continued discussions depend on Taliban cooperation on readmissions and combating illegal migration networks; and third, what steps the Commission is taking to ensure these contacts are not perceived as formal recognition or political legitimisation of the Taliban. The MEP's intervention reflects concerns among some EU lawmakers that technical migration talks could blur the line between operational engagement and political endorsement of a regime that the EU continues to condemn for human rights violations, especially against women and girls.
Garraud's question targets a policy orientation where the Commission appears to prioritise migration management over principled non-engagement, potentially affecting Afghan asylum seekers and migrants facing return, as well as EU credibility on human rights. The Commission typically must reply within six weeks; its answer will signal how it balances operational migration cooperation with its stated non-recognition policy.