EU orders Meta to restore free WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots
Meta must comply by June 15 or face fines of up to 10 percent of annual revenue, a move the company has condemned as regulatory overreach
The European Commission has issued an interim order requiring Meta to reinstate free access to WhatsApp for third-party AI chatbots developed by rival providers. The directive, announced on Tuesday, is part of an ongoing antitrust investigation into whether Meta abused its market dominance by banning third-party AI chatbots from its platform. Meta must comply with the order by June 15 or face potential fines of up to 10 percent of its annual revenue, approximately $20 billion based on 2025 earnings. Meta has rejected the order as baseless and announced plans to appeal the decision.
This rare interim measure was taken under emergency powers, marking only the second time in more than 20 years that the EU has utilised such authority. The Commission deemed the intervention necessary to prevent serious and irreparable damage to competition in the general-purpose AI assistant market. The order mandates that Meta reinstate access under the same terms and conditions that existed prior to the ban, specifically noting that access was notably free of charge.
The regulatory action follows a formal investigation launched in December 2025 regarding Meta’s ban on third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp. In March, Meta had previously restored access to rival chatbots for a fee, a move the Commission deemed a violation of EU competition rules. European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera stated the measures are necessary to safeguard competition in the growing market for AI assistants, preserving a key entry point to reach consumers in Europe.
Ribera emphasised that in rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted. The interim measures will remain in place for the duration of the investigation to allow AI companies to innovate, scale up, and reach their full potential. The broader antitrust investigation is still ongoing, with no date set for a legal conclusion.
In response to the order, a Meta spokesperson rejected the case as baseless, arguing that the decision constitutes regulatory overreach. The company stated that the ruling effectively subsidises large companies like OpenAI at the expense of other European businesses that pay for the WhatsApp Business product. Meta has confirmed it plans to appeal the decision, though the exact financial impact of potential fines remains contingent on future earnings and the final legal determination.
