The EU will appeal a court order to remove the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from its terrorism blacklist.
Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday the 28 European Union member states decided to appeal the decision at a meeting in Brussels following last week's Islamist attacks in Paris.
"This ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and did not imply any assessment by the court of the merits of designating the Hamas as a terrorist organisation," Mogherini said.
The ministers have "now decided to challenge some of the findings of the court regarding the procedural grounds to list terrorist organisations".
Last month's ruling by the EU's second highest court, the General Court of the European Union, said the blacklisting in 2001 was based not on sound legal judgments but conclusions derived from the media and internet.
Hamas, which has been in power in the Palestinian territory of Gaza since 2007, had appealed against its inclusion on the blacklist on several grounds.
In Gaza City, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri described the decision to appeal as "an immoral step" reflecting the EU's "total bias in favour of the Israeli occupation".
Hamas's military wing was added to the European Union's first-ever terrorism blacklist drawn up in December 2001 in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States.
The EU blacklisted the political wing of Hamas in 2003.
The EU court based in Luxembourg said last month the freeze on Hamas's funds will also remain in place for three months pending any appeal by the EU.
Mogherini said on Monday the effects of the judgment would be suspended until the Court of Justice issues a final ruling.
Apart from Hamas, the EU has also blacklisted the Lebanese Shi'ite movement Hezbollah, which has ties to Hamas.
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