The European Commission ordered Meta on June 9, 2026, to restore free access for rival AI assistants to the WhatsApp Business API within five working days. The interim measure marks the Commission’s first antitrust interim order in 17 years, targeting Meta’s October 2025 policy change that blocked third‑party AI assistants from WhatsApp in the European Economic Area.
The restrictions took effect on January 15, 2026, leaving Meta AI as the only assistant available on the platform. Three AI companies—California‑based The Interaction Company (Poke.com), French startup Agentik, and an unnamed Spanish rival—filed complaints, triggering a formal investigation in December 2025. Meta later proposed a paid access model, which the Commission rejected in April 2026 as economically unsustainable and equivalent to a ban.
Executive Vice‑President Teresa Ribera warned that “competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted,” justifying the interim order. Meta slammed the decision as “regulatory overreach” and confirmed it will appeal, arguing the ruling forces it to give OpenAI and other large companies free use of a paid business product. Non‑compliance could lead to fines of up to 10% of Meta’s global annual turnover. The order will stay in force until June 2029 or the conclusion of the investigation.
