Commission notifies Meta of possible interim measures to reverse exclusion of third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Meta, setting out its preliminary view that Meta breached EU antitrust rules by excluding third party Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) assistants from accessing and interacting with users on WhatsApp. Meta’s conduct risks blocking competitors from entering or expanding in the rapidly growing market for AI assistants.

The Commission therefore intends to impose interim measures to prevent this policy change from causing serious and irreparable harm on the market, subject to Meta’s reply and rights of defence.

Meta’s flagship products are its social networks, such as Facebook and Instagram, and consumer communication applications, such as WhatsApp and Messenger. It also operates online advertising services and virtual and augmented reality products. Meta provides a general-purpose AI assistant, Meta AI.

On 15 October 2025, Meta announced an update of its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, effectively banning third-party general-purpose AI assistants from the application. As a result, since 15 January 2026, the only AI assistant available on WhatsApp is Meta’s own tool, Meta AI, while competitors have been excluded.

The Commission has informed Meta that this policy change appears at first sight to be in breach of EU competition rules.

The Commission’s investigation

The Commission preliminarily concludes that:

• Meta is likely to be dominant in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’) market for consumer communication applications, notably through WhatsApp.
• Meta is likely to be abusing this dominant position by refusing access to WhatsApp to other businesses, including third-party AI assistants. At this stage, the Commission considers that WhatsApp is an important entry point to enable general-purpose AI assistants reach consumers.
• There is an urgent need for protective measures due to the risk of serious and irreparable damage to competition. Meta’s conduct risks raising barriers to entry and expansion, and irreparably marginalising smaller competitors on the market for general-purpose AI assistants.

The sending of a Statement of Objections on interim measures does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. Meta now has the possibility to reply to the Commission’s concerns.

The Statement of Objections covers the EEA except for Italy, where the Italian Competition Authority imposed interim measures on Meta in December 2025.

Background

On 4 December 2025, the Commission opened formal proceedings in the context of this ongoing investigation.

Article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’) and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement prohibit the abuse of a dominant position that may affect trade and prevent or restrict competition within the Single Market. The implementation of Article 102 TFEU is defined in Regulation 1/2003.

Pursuant to Article 8(1) Regulation 1/2003, interim measures may be imposed if, at first sight, there is an infringement of competition law rules, as well as an urgent need for protective measures due to the risk of serious and irreparable harm to competition.

A Statement of Objections is a formal step in the Commission’s investigations into the necessity of imposing interim measures. The Commission informs the parties concerned of its preliminary findings in writing. The parties can then examine the documents in the Commission’s investigation file, reply in writing and request an oral hearing to present their views on the case before representatives of the Commission and national competition authorities.

If the Commission concludes, after the parties have exercised their rights of defence, that the conditions for interim measures are met, it can adopt a decision imposing such measures. The adoption of an interim measures’ decision does not prejudge the final findings of the Commission on the substance of the case.

For more information

More information will be made available under the case number AT.41034 in the public case register on the Commission’s competition website.