Commission orders Meta to restore free WhatsApp access for rival AI assistants via interim measures
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Summary
The European Commission has ordered Meta to restore free access to the WhatsApp for Business API for rival general-purpose AI assistants and keep it until the Commission adopts a final decision. The Commission found that, at first sight, Meta holds a dominant position and abused it through a policy introduced on October 15, 2025 banning third-party assistants, followed by a fee from March 4, 2026 that is in practice equivalent to the ban. Access must be reinstated on the terms in place before October 15, 2025, and Meta must comply within 5 days working days. The investigation on the merits is still ongoing.
Why it matters
The decision affects providers of rival AI assistants that rely on WhatsApp and Meta. It is the second use of interim measures under Regulation 1/2003, and non-compliance may lead to fines or periodic penalty payments. The investigation into the merits continues.
- Parties involved
- European Commission; Meta
- Document number
- IP/26/1276
- Case number
- AT.41034
- Primary source
- European Commission (ec.europa.eu)
Source retrieved: . Sources are often in other languages; links open the original. - Coverage
- Topics
- Competition & antitrust