On 23 June 2026 the European Commission and 15 member states received a five-member Taliban delegation in Brussels — the first such meeting — reigniting Europe's debate over how to deal with a regime accused of gender apartheid, a cause long championed by Luxembourg's Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.
The EU held its first talks with Taliban officials on European soil on 23 June 2026, focusing on the deportation of Afghan nationals with no right to stay. The Commission and Sweden co-chaired the closed-door meeting with 15 member states; Brussels stressed it does not amount to recognition, as rights groups warned the engagement risks legitimising the regime.
The European Commission hosted a Taliban delegation in Brussels on 23 June 2026 to discuss returning rejected Afghan asylum seekers, the first time the EU has met the unrecognised government since 2021. Around 20 member states back the push; Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warn it breaches the EU's non-refoulement obligations. As an EU member, Luxembourg is bound by the bloc's new common returns policy.