EU Charges Meta Again, Demands WhatsApp Restore Rival AI Access
The supplementary statement of objections forms part of an ongoing interim measures procedure tied to a broader investigation into whether Meta has abused its dominant market position by restricting rival AI assistants from operating on WhatsApp, the commission said.
Meta's conduct "risks blocking competitors from entering or expanding in the rapidly growing market for AI assistants," the commission warned in an official statement.
A Timeline of Escalating Tension
The dispute traces back to October 15, 2025, when Meta overhauled its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, effectively barring third-party general-purpose AI assistants from the platform starting January 15, 2026.
The European Commission moved swiftly, opening formal proceedings on December 4, 2025, followed by an initial statement of objections on February 9, asserting that Meta's conduct appeared, at first sight, to violate EU competition rules.
Meta subsequently submitted its response and, on March 4, unveiled a revised policy purporting to reverse the ban — but replacing it with a new pricing framework governing third-party general-purpose AI assistants' access to WhatsApp.
The commission was unmoved. It preliminarily concluded that the revised policy appeared to produce the same practical effect as an outright exclusion of rival AI assistants from WhatsApp, and that it appeared, at first sight, to remain in breach of EU competition law.
What Brussels Is Now Demanding
"To prevent serious and irreparable harm to competition, the Commission intends to order Meta to reinstate access for third-party AI assistants under the same conditions as before 15 October 2025, until it reaches a final decision on Meta's conduct," it said.
Any interim measures adopted would remain in force through the conclusion of the full investigation and a binding final decision on Meta's conduct, the commission added.
Probe Expands to Cover All of Europe
In a parallel move, the commission announced it has broadened the scope of its investigation to include Italy, in coordination with the Italian competition authority — meaning the commission's findings will now extend across the entire European Economic Area. Italy had previously sat outside the commission's probe after its national regulator launched its own separate inquiry into the matter.
The legal basis for the investigation rests on Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 54 of the European Economic Area Agreement, both of which prohibit the abuse of a dominant position capable of distorting trade and restricting competition within the single market.
The commission stressed that issuing a supplementary statement of objections does not predetermine the investigation's outcome, and that Meta retains the right to respond to the concerns raised.
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