12/05/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Monday, 11 May, the European Commission confirmed to our fellow journalists at Agence France Presse that leaders of the Taliban would soon be invited to Brussels to negotiate the return of Afghan irregular migrants. The initiative, coordinated with Sweden, aims to delve deeper into the technical discussions begun in early 2025 (see EUROPE 13734/17). Last January, the European Commission had already organised an initial administrative mission to Kabul, during which the Taliban authorities had claimed to be “ready to participate in the identification of irregular migrants” (see EUROPE 13794/12). This rapprochement is a response to pressure from twenty or so Member States that—as part of taking an overall tougher stance on European migration policies—have, since October, been calling for solutions to deport illegally staying Afghan nationals, particularly those with criminal convictions. The European Commission is expected to make this invitation official in a letter soon, although no precise date has been set yet. (JM)