European Union governments could decide to blacklist the military wing of Hezbollah on Monday, in a policy reversal fuelled by concerns over the Lebanese militant movement's activities in Europe, senior EU diplomats said, Reuters reported.
Britain has sought to persuade its EU peers since May to put the Shi'ite Muslim group's military wing on the bloc's terrorism list, citing evidence that it was behind a bus bombing in Bulgaria last year which killed five Israelis and their driver.
Until now, the EU has resisted pressure from Washington and Israel to blacklist Hezbollah, arguing such a move could fuel instability in Lebanon, where the group is part of the government, and add to tensions in the Middle East.
A senior EU official said on Friday opposition to the blacklisting was "slowly diminishing".
Britain's William Hague said a "great majority" of EU capitals supported the move, due to be debated at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.
"When a terrorist attack takes place on European soil, there have to be consequences. Europe has to recognize that and face up to that," Hague told reporters ahead of the meeting.
Blacklisting the military wing would mean the freezing of any assets it may hold in the 28-nation bloc, though officials say there is scant information on the extent of Hezbollah's presence in Europe or on its assets.
Britain, backed by France and the Netherlands among others, has argued that Hezbollah's growing involvement in the Syrian war means Lebanon is already in a fragile situation and that the EU must weigh the possibility of future attacks in Europe.