The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission will appeal a judge's ruling that rejected efforts to curb speculative derivatives trading after the 2008 financial crisis.

The commission filed a notice of appeal today in federal court in Washington, seeking to ask a three-judge panel to reverse a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins that said the CFTC failed to assess whether limiting the number of contracts a trader can have in oil, natural gas or other commodities was necessary and appropriate.

“The rule addresses Congress's concern that that no single trader be permitted to obtain too large a share of the market, and that derivatives markets remain fair and competitive,” CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler said in a statement today. “I believe it is critically important that these position limits be established as Congress required.”