50In the first place, it must be held that such an exception does not appear anywhere in the wording of Article 41(2)(a) of the Charter and must be rejected as being manifestly unfounded. As has been pointed out in paragraphs 44 and 48 above, the right to be heard is of general application. That is the case, inter alia, when the administration proposes to take a decision in response to a request lodged by a person of his or her own initiative.