The request for repatriation of irregular Afghan citizens

Twenty EU Member States, including Italy, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Poland, have sent a joint letter to the European Commission calling for a strengthening of procedures for the repatriation of Afghan citizens residing illegally in the EU. The letter, addressed to the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, highlights the urgent need for a coordinated and shared approach to managing cases of people without the right to reside in the EU.

According to the signatories, the inability to repatriate people to Afghanistan, in force since 2021 due to the absence of a formal agreement with Kabul, represents "a threat to public safety and undermines citizens' trust in asylum policies". The letter also stresses that the orderly, dignified and safe repatriation of those who are not entitled to remain, particularly individuals who pose a threat to public order or national security, is "an essential element of a credible and sustainable migration policy".

In addition to Italy, the signatories include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden. The governments are also calling for the role of the European agency Frontex to be strengthened, both in the operational coordination of voluntary repatriation and in supporting reintegration programmes for Afghan citizens who have returned to their country.

The data reported in the letter highlight the practical difficulties encountered so far: in 2024, out of 22,870 return orders issued against Afghan nationals, only 435 people actually returned to Afghanistan, representing a rate of just 2%. For the signatories, this discrepancy demonstrates the need for a common and more efficient response at European level, with centralised mechanisms and uniform procedures.

The issue of repatriation has become particularly urgent in Germany, where last July the government organised a direct flight to Kabul with 81 Afghan citizens who had been convicted or had their asylum applications rejected. The operation, mediated by Qatar, sparked protests in several cities, including Cologne, and drew criticism from the UN, Amnesty International and European Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who highlighted the real risk of torture, inhuman treatment and persecution once they arrived in Afghanistan.

Despite the UN's concerns, Germany, under the conservative government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is attempting to negotiate a technical agreement with the Taliban authorities to resume regular deportation flights, without this implying political recognition of the regime. Other European countries are considering following a similar path, albeit cautiously, given the diplomatic complexity and the context of serious instability in the Asian country.

The European Commission has confirmed that it has initiated "exploratory contacts at technical level" with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, in coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS). According to spokesperson Markus Lammert, the institution is working to strengthen coordination between Member States, with a particular focus on individuals considered a threat to public security. The Commission also recalled the proposal for a regulation presented in May, aimed at strengthening the common return policy, and called on the Parliament and the Council to adopt the legislation quickly.

The Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, who initiated the letter, emphasised that the inability to repatriate Afghans, even those who have been convicted, poses a threat to internal security and undermines citizens' confidence in European asylum policies. Van Bossuyt also pointed out that Afghan citizens constitute "the second largest group involved in serious incidents in reception centres" in member states.

However, the situation in Afghanistan remains extremely delicate: attacks, violence and human rights violations continue to claim civilian victims. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), confirmed that the country is not safe for repatriation, while Arafat Jamal, from the UN Office for Human Rights, denounced arbitrary arrests, persecution of women and repression of minorities. Currently, Russia is the only country to officially recognise the Taliban government, a factor that further complicates the political and humanitarian situation.

By sending this letter, European governments intend to establish common tools for more effective and consistent management of repatriation, strengthening cooperation between the Commission, Member States and Frontex. According to experts, the issue of irregular Afghan citizens is set to become one of the most sensitive and divisive topics in European political debate in the coming weeks, presenting the Union with a challenge that combines internal security, international law and respect for human rights.

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