Bottom line: The EU is forcing Meta to allow third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp without fees to protect new competitors and preserve user choice.
The European Commission is requiring Meta to permit third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp free of charge. The company must implement the measure within five business days, otherwise it faces fines of up to ten percent of total revenue.
Meta blocked third-party access to WhatsApp interfaces in October 2025, which had previously allowed companies to link their AI services to the messenger. This meant that users in the EU only had access to Meta’s own AI solution (“Meta AI”). Following an initial threat of enforcement measures, Meta formally reopened access in March 2025 but simultaneously introduced fees for interface access. The competition authority in Brussels regards this as a de facto continuation of the access ban.
The European Commission fears that Meta’s conduct is significantly damaging competition in the growing market for universal AI assistants. Smaller providers and new market entrants need access to large platforms like WhatsApp to reach users in Europe and compete with established large corporations. Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera emphasizes that the decision preserves citizens’ freedom to choose their preferred AI assistants. Meta must now restore the conditions that existed before October 15, 2025.
Failure to comply with the measures threatens Meta with substantial penalties: fines of up to ten percent of the group’s total revenue in the preceding business year and daily penalty payments of up to five percent of average daily revenue. The formal investigation into a possible violation of EU competition law continues in parallel.
Parallel to this procedure, the European Commission is also investigating Facebook and Instagram for insufficient child protection. The authority is demanding that the platforms enforce the minimum age of 13 years set out in the terms of use. Here too, penalties of up to six percent of annual group revenue are threatened.
Source: www.it-daily.net · Published June 10, 2026
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