74It is equally settled case-law 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 on the evidence on which the contested decision is based (see, inter alia, 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). Given the important consequences for breeders flowing from decisions taken on the basis of Article 5 of Directive 85/511, Article 2 of Decision 2001/246 and Article 10(1) of Directive 90/425, that principle requires, in connection with the control of foot-and-mouth disease, that the addressees of such decisions be, in principle, placed in a position in which they may effectively make known their views on the evidence on which the contested measure is based.
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