Nineteen EU countries and Norway demand measures to return Afghans either voluntarily or forcibly

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 18/10/2025 - 14:57 GMT+2 •Updated 16:12

In a missive addressed to Magnus Brunner nan Commissioner of Internal Affairs and Migration, 20 European countries person travel together to unit nan European Commission to find ways to nonstop backmost Afghan nationals who are surviving illegally successful Europe, either voluntarily aliases by force, according to Belgian curate forAsylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt connected Saturday.

Many EU countries opportunity that nan truth that they cannot presently deport Afghans, moreover those convicted of crimes, owed to nary general return statement pinch Afghanistan since nan Taliban takeover successful 2021 poses a threat to EU countries information and "undermines nationalist spot successful asylum policy".

The initiative, led by Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, is supported by 18 different countries crossed nan EU and Norway: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, nan Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, nan Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden.

They are demanding nan European Commission bring nan return of Afghans to nan apical of its agenda, including negotiating pinch nan Taliban authorities to work together upon a return policy.

Van Bossuyt has suggested giving nan EU's separator agency Frontex a stronger domiciled successful organising and supporting voluntary returns done nan EU Reintegration Programme. Meanwhile, for forced returns, nan missive suggests that those deemed vulnerable aliases criminal should beryllium prioritised, done a associated ngo to Afghanistan betwixt nan Commission, nan EEAS and nan Member States wishing to return part.

Since nan autumn of Kabul successful 2021, nan only state to recognise nan Taliban arsenic nan morganatic authorities of Afghanistan has been Russia. Despite this, Germany, led by Friedrich Merz’s blimpish government, has been adjacent to cutting a woody pinch nan Taliban connected nan return of Afghans, who shape nan second-largest group of asylum seekers successful Germany. In July, Merz's authorities conducted a formation deporting 81 Afghans and hopes different European countries will follow.

However, Germany's actions person antecedently been criticised by nan UN, arsenic Afghanistan is still nether a "non-return advisory", according to Ravina Shamdasani, a UN exile agency spokesperson.

Meanwhile, different worker for nan UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), Arafat Jamal, said: "We person been documenting continuing quality authorities violations successful Afghanistan."