The Council of the European Union has decided to appeal the Judgment of the EU General Court annulling the sanctions imposed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The Judgement of the General Court of the European Union on 16 October 2014 annulled measures taken by the Council of the European Union against the LTTE, namely the designation of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the freezing of LTTE funds.

“It is important to remember that this legal ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and it did not imply any assessment by the Court of the substantive issues of designating the LTTE or of freezing LTTE funds,” the EU office in Colombo said.

“The Council has now decided to challenge some of the findings of the Court regarding the procedural grounds to list terrorist organizations under EU autonomous measures to combat terrorism, as set out in Common Position 2001/931,” it said in a statement.

The effects of the Judgement are suspended until a final judgement is rendered by the Court of Justice.

“The EU institutions are also studying carefully other appropriate remedial actions that may be taken to avoid possible annulments in the future,” it said.

The EU had declared the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a terrorist outfit in 2006, following the earlier proscriptions of the USA and Canada. The ban criminalises any activity that could be connected to the LTTE.

The Sri Lankan government had expressed concern over the ruling while Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in November wrote to the European Union (EU) High Representative Federica Mogherini requesting to file an appeal against EU General Court’s verdict to lift sanctions on the LTTE.