EU orders Meta to restore WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots

EU antitrust regulators have ordered Meta to give rival AI chatbots free access to WhatsApp during an active competition probe. The European Commission said Meta must maintain access while Brussels investigates its policy toward competing AI assistants.

The interim measure follows complaints from three AI companies and targets Meta’s October 2025 access change.

EU requires WhatsApp access during Meta probe

The European Commission issued the interim measure on Tuesday against Meta Platforms. It represents the Commission’s first interim measure in an antitrust case in 17 years. The order followed complaints from The Interaction Company, French AI startup Agentik, and a Spanish rival. 

The Interaction Company, based in California, develops the Poke.com AI assistant. The EU opened its investigation in December after Meta restricted rival AI providers from WhatsApp. The probe examines whether Meta abused market power by blocking competitors from the messaging app.

 “Today, we require Meta to restore access to WhatsApp for competing AI assistants,” Teresa Ribera said. Ribera serves as the EU antitrust commissioner and oversees competition enforcement. The Commission said the measure will prevent serious harm to competition during the probe. It said Meta’s conduct appears to infringe EU competition rules at an early stage.

The commission rejects Meta fee proposal

The EU warned Meta in February that interim measures could follow without restored access. Meta later introduced an access fee for rival AI assistant providers. Brussels rejected that proposal in April and called it unsatisfactory. The Commission said the fee was, at first sight, equivalent to the earlier access ban.

The EU wants Meta to restore third-party access under the same conditions used before October 2025. According to the Commission, Meta’s policy change effectively barred rival AI assistants from WhatsApp. Traditional antitrust cases can take years before regulators issue final decisions. 

European officials argue that late fines may fail to address damage already done. The Commission said Meta must comply with the interim measure while the investigation continues. Brussels has not set a legal deadline for the probe’s completion.

Meta faces possible fines and separate EU cases

The Commission said Meta could face fines if it breaches the interim order. The penalty could reach 10% of Meta’s total turnover from the prior business year. The fine would apply if Meta intentionally or negligently violated the decision. The Commission said it has the authority to impose penalties under EU competition rules.

Brussels described an urgent need to protect the market for general-purpose AI assistants. It said smaller players and new entrants need fair access to compete with large platforms. Meta has faced several EU enforcement actions in recent years. In April, EU regulators said Meta failed to keep under-13 users off Facebook and Instagram.

Regulators also continue to examine Meta’s protections for users’ physical and mental well-being. The same probe covers the design of Facebook and Instagram under digital content rules. Meta has appealed a 200 million euro fine issued under the Digital Markets Act. Apple also criticized the DMA on Monday over its delayed rollout of an AI-enhanced Siri.