Judgment_paragraph 57 · Mast-Jägermeister SE v European Union Intellectual Property Office (T-16/16)

57In that regard, it should be borne in mind that, according to Article 62 of Regulation No 6/2002, decisions of EUIPO may be based only on reasons or evidence on which the parties concerned have had an opportunity to present their comments. The general principle of protection of the right to defend oneself is enshrined in the law of EU designs by that provision. According to that general principle of EU law, a person whose interests are significantly affected by a decision addressed to him and taken by a public authority must be given the opportunity to make his point of view known. The right to be heard extends to all the matters of fact or of law which form the basis of the decision, but not to the final position which the authority intends to adopt (see judgment of 27 June 2013, Beifa Group v OHIM — Schwan-Stabilo Schwanhäußer (Instruments for writing), T‑608/11, not published, EU:T:2013:334, paragraph 42 and the case-law cited).