CJEU on the right to be heard: it cannot be limited by any legislative provision

The right to be heard is well known to practitioners from various customs decisions and the Art. 22(6) of the Union Customs Code: 'Before taking a decision which would adversely affect the applicant, the customs authorities shall communicate the grounds on which they intend to base their decision to the applicant, who shall be given the opportunity to express his or her point of view'. This fundamental right of the EU legal order is not just a formality - the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) recently annulled a regulation because it found that the European Commission had violated the importer's right to be heard during the process of adopting that regulation. It is therefore worthwhile for importers, exporters and other parties involved to take a close look at the topic and be prepared to use the right to their own advantage at EU or national level if needed.