The European Commission said today a European Union (EU) list of suspect terrorist groups would not include political parties that offered them support.
"Political parties supporting will not be included," commission spokesman Mr Leonello Gabrici told a news conference on measures taken by the EU following the September 11th attacks on the United States.
EU leaders decided at an emergency summit in Brussels in September the EU should draw up a list of organisations recognised by the 15-nations as terrorist groups.
Mr Gabrici said the commission was drawing up a list based on existing lists from individual member states and that it would include only European groups operating inside the EU's borders.
But Spain, which wants a broader list, said the EU's 15 national governments would have the final say on the matter. Britain has backed Spain's stance.
Spain believes those who support and co-operate with violent attacks are just as responsible as those who commit them and has sought to include Batasuna, the political wing of ETA, on the list.
Britain has backed Spain's tougher line at meetings of EU justice and home affairs ministers.