1. Before taking any decision under Article 73(1) and on a periodic penalty payment under Article 66, ESMA shall give the persons who are subject to the proceedings the opportunity to be heard on its findings. ESMA shall base its decisions only on findings on which the persons who are subject to the proceedings have had an opportunity to comment.

The first subparagraph of this paragraph shall not apply to the decisions referred to in points (a), (c) and (d) of Article 73(1) if urgent action is needed in order to prevent significant and imminent damage to the financial system or to prevent significant and imminent damage to the integrity, transparency, efficiency and orderly functioning of financial markets, including to the stability or the correctness of data reported to a trade repository. In such a case, ESMA may adopt an interim decision and shall give the persons concerned the opportunity to be heard as soon as possible after taking its decision.

2. The rights of the defence of the persons subject to the proceedings shall be fully respected in the proceedings. They shall be entitled to have access to ESMA's file, subject to the legitimate interest of other persons in the protection of their business secrets. The right of access to the file shall not extend to confidential information or ESMA's internal preparatory documents.