44As regards the plea in law relating to an infringement of the rights of the defence in the case of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it must be stressed that the Court has consistently held that respect for the rights of the defence, in all proceedings which are initiated against a person and which are liable to culminate in a measure adversely affecting that person is a fundamental principle of Community law which must be guaranteed even in the absence of any specific rules (see, for example, the judgment in Case C-301/87 France v Commission, previously cited).
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