129As the Court of First Instance pointed out in paragraph 136 of the judgment under appeal, it is apparent from the case-law of the Court of Justice that respect for the rights of the defence is, in all proceedings initiated against a person which are liable to culminate in a measure adversely affecting that person, a fundamental principle of Community law which must be guaranteed even in the absence of any rules governing the proceedings in question. That principle requires that the addressees of decisions which significantly affect their interests should be placed in a position in which they may effectively make known their views (see, for example, Case C-32/95 P Commission v Lisrestal and Others [1996] ECR I-5373, paragraph 21, Case C-462/98 P Mediocurso v Commission [2000] ECR I-7183, paragraph 36, and Case C-287/02 Spain v Commission [2005] ECR I-5093, paragraph 37).
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