BRUSSELS
The European Union decided Monday to appeal a court ruling that says Hamas must be removed from the EU's list of terrorist organizations, officials said.
The General Court of the European Union ruled Dec.17 that listing Hamas on the 2001 terrorist list was "not based on acts examined and confirmed in decisions of competent authorities, but on factual imputations derived from the press and the Internet."
However, the European Council, composed of representatives of the 28 EU member states, decided to challenge the court’s ruling.
''This ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and did not imply any assessment by the court of the merits of designating Hamas as a terrorist organization,'' EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a press release.
''As a result of the appeal, the effects of the judgment are suspended until a final judgment is rendered by the Court of Justice,'' Mogherini said.
In December 2001, the European Council adopted a terrorist list requiring the freezing of the funds of the people and entities listed.
