European Commission Orders Meta to Restore Free WhatsApp Access for Rival AI Chatbots
- Sara Montes de Oca
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The European Commission has ordered Meta to reinstate free WhatsApp access for third-party AI chatbot providers, invoking rare emergency powers to halt what regulators described as a threat to competition in the general-purpose AI assistant market.
The interim measure, announced Tuesday, marks only the second time in more than two decades that the EU has deployed such emergency authority. Officials said the step was necessary "to prevent serious and irreparable damage to competition" while a broader antitrust investigation runs its course.
The order stems from a formal investigation launched in December 2025 into whether Meta abused its market dominance by blocking rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp. Meta restored access to competing services in March — but at a fee, an arrangement the Commission indicated violated EU competition rules.
Under Tuesday's directive, Meta must reinstate WhatsApp access for third-party AI rivals under the same terms that existed before the ban, which were "notably free of charge." Meta has until June 15th to comply.
European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera framed the intervention as a structural necessity given the speed at which AI markets are evolving. "In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted," Ribera said in a statement. "These interim measures will safeguard competition in the growing market for AI assistants, by preserving a key entry point to reach consumers in Europe — WhatsApp — and allowing AI companies to innovate, scale up and reach their full potential."
Meta rejected the order. In a statement to Politico, a company spokesperson called the case baseless and said Meta intends to appeal: "The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and some of the largest companies in the world can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free. This is regulatory overreach subsidised by the many European companies that pay."
The company faces significant financial exposure if it declines to comply. Regulators could impose fines of up to 10 percent of annual revenue — roughly $20 billion based on Meta's 2025 earnings — if the order is ignored.
The broader antitrust investigation remains open, with no date set for a final legal conclusion. The interim measures will remain in force for the duration of that inquiry.
The case reinforces a pattern of EU regulators using competition law to police how dominant platforms govern access to their infrastructure, particularly as those platforms become entry points for emerging AI services. WhatsApp, with its scale across European consumers, has drawn particular scrutiny as AI assistant adoption accelerates. The outcome of the pending investigation could set a precedent for how messaging platforms are required to treat competing AI providers across the region.
