38The Court has previously ruled that observance of the rights of the defence is a general principle of European Union law which applies where the authorities are minded to adopt a measure which will adversely affect an individual (see Sopropé, paragraph 36). In accordance with that principle, the addressees of decisions which significantly affect their interests must therefore be placed in a position in which they can effectively make known their views as regards the information on which the authorities intend to base their decision (see, inter alia, C-32/95 P Commission v Lisrestal and Others [1996] ECR I-5373, paragraph 21, and Sopropé, paragraph 37). The authorities of the Member States are subject to that obligation when they take decisions which come within the scope of European Union law, even though the European Union legislation applicable does not expressly provide for such a procedural requirement (see Sopropé, paragraph 38, and Case C‑383/13 PPU G and R [2013] ECR, paragraph 35).
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