The European Commission on June 9 ordered Meta Platforms to restore free WhatsApp access for competing AI assistants within five working days. The interim measure targets Meta's October 15, 2025 policy change that barred third-party AI assistants from the WhatsApp Business API, effective January 15, 2026. Three AI companies filed complaints after Meta AI became the only assistant available on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area, triggering a formal antitrust investigation opened in December 2025. Meta proposed fee-based competitor access in March, but the Commission rejected the offer in April, calling it economically unsustainable and equivalent to the original ban. The order marks the Commission's first antitrust interim measure in 17 years.
Meta Implements Policy Change Blocking Third-Party AI Assistants
Meta updated its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms on October 15, 2025, barring third-party AI assistants from the platform. The restriction took effect on January 15, 2026, leaving Meta AI as the only assistant available on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area.
Three AI companies filed complaints with the Commission: California-based The Interaction Company, developer of the Poke.com assistant; French startup Agentik; and an unnamed Spanish rival. Brussels opened a formal antitrust investigation in December 2025 and issued a Statement of Objections in February 2026.
Commission Rejects Meta's Fee-Based Access Proposal
The Commission warned Meta that interim measures would follow unless access was restored. Meta responded in March by reintroducing competitor access behind a fee. The Commission rejected that proposal in April, calling it economically unsustainable for rivals and equivalent to the original ban.
Ribera Warns Competition Risks in Fast-Moving AI Markets
"In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted," Teresa Ribera, EU Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said in a Commission statement. Ribera added that the measures would safeguard competition by preserving WhatsApp as a key consumer entry point for AI assistants.
The remarks reflect a broader shift in EU enforcement strategy. Traditional antitrust cases routinely stretch across multiple years before a final decision lands. Ribera's invocation of interim powers signals that Brussels views the AI assistant market as too fast-moving for standard timelines. The order will remain in force until June 2029 or the conclusion of the investigation, whichever comes first.
Commission Reactivates Interim Enforcement Powers After 17 Years
The Commission last imposed antitrust interim measures in 2009, when it ordered the International Skating Union to lift athlete bans. Reactivating this tool against a company of Meta's scale establishes a template for future AI platform disputes. It also signals that the Digital Markets Act, which carries its own compliance deadlines and fines, has not made traditional antitrust powers obsolete.
For Meta, the timing compounds existing pressure. The company is already appealing a €200 million Digital Markets Act fine issued in April. A separate EU probe examines whether Facebook and Instagram adequately protect minors. Each case narrows Meta's room to set platform terms unilaterally in Europe.
Meta Announces Appeal of Interim Order
Meta confirmed it would appeal the interim measure. The company argued that the Commission's decision effectively lets competitors, including OpenAI, use the paid WhatsApp Business product for free, The Irish Times reported.
Meta has previously maintained that the WhatsApp Business API is not a key distribution channel for AI chatbots and that users can access AI assistants through app stores, operating systems, and websites.
Commission Sets Five-Day Compliance Deadline
Meta must restore pre-October 15, 2025 access terms within five working days of the June 9 order. The Commission has set no deadline for its underlying antitrust investigation.
A final ruling could still impose fines of up to 10% of Meta's global annual turnover. Meta's appeal of the interim measure will test how EU courts balance platform autonomy against emergency competition enforcement in AI markets.
FAQ
What did the European Commission order Meta to do on June 9?
The European Commission ordered Meta Platforms to restore free WhatsApp access for competing AI assistants within five working days. The interim measure targets Meta's October 15, 2025 policy change that blocked third-party AI assistants from the WhatsApp Business API.
Why did the Commission reject Meta's fee-based access proposal?
The Commission rejected Meta's March proposal to reintroduce competitor access behind a fee in April, calling it economically unsustainable for rivals and equivalent to the original ban that barred third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp.
How long will the EU's interim order against Meta remain in effect?
The interim order will remain in force until June 2029 or the conclusion of the Commission's antitrust investigation, whichever comes first. The Commission has set no deadline for the underlying investigation.
