EU orders Meta to restore free WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots

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EU orders Meta to restore WhatsApp access

Highlights

EU antitrust regulators ordered Meta to restore free access for rivals to the WhatsApp for Business API within five working days, reversing post-October 2023 restrictions.
Meta faces potential fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover if regulators confirm breaches of EU antitrust rules in the ongoing case.
This interim order—the Commission's first in 17 years—highlights Brussels' focus on maintaining competition in the rapidly expanding European AI assistant market.

Interim order sets five-day deadline

As reported by the European Commission, EU antitrust regulators have issued an interim measure requiring Meta to restore rivals' access to the WhatsApp for Business application programming interface within five working days, on the same terms and conditions that applied before October last year.

The order follows complaints from The Interaction Company of California, which develops the Poke.com AI assistant, as well as French AI startup Agentik and a Spanish rival. Those complaints led the Commission to open an investigation in December last year, and it issued charges against Meta two months later alleging breaches of EU antitrust rules.

EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement that competition can be lost in rapidly evolving markets long before a final decision is adopted. She said the interim measures are meant to protect competition in the growing market for AI assistants by preserving WhatsApp as an important route to reach consumers in Europe.

Meta challenges scope of ruling

Meta criticises the Commission's order and says it will appeal. A company spokesperson said the decision means OpenAI and some of the world's largest companies can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free, calling the move regulatory overreach that is subsidised by European companies that pay for the service.

According to the case details set out by regulators, Meta barred rival AI services from accessing the WhatsApp for Business API in October last year while exempting its own Meta AI assistant. In March, it allowed competitors back onto the platform for a fee, a step that drew the Commission's objection.

If regulators ultimately find that Meta breached EU antitrust rules, the company faces a fine of up to 10% of its global annual turnover. The interim order is the Commission's first such measure in 17 years, underlining the importance Brussels places on preserving competition in AI-related digital markets.

Our earlier analysis of Meta Platforms (META) focused on the company’s accelerating push into AI, including plans to lift 2026 capital spending to $125–$145 billion for AI infrastructure and a pause in share buybacks as priorities shift. We also noted that while Meta reported strong Q1 2026 revenue and EPS, the stock was trading under key technical levels, leaving near-term momentum pressured despite longer-term confidence tied to AI investment.

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