EU antitrust investigation into Meta over WhatsApp AI access

Market news
|
December 11, 2025

By
Alina Neacsu

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Meta over a policy that could limit rival AI providers’ access to WhatsApp Business users across the European Economic Area. The case examines whether changes to WhatsApp’s business API terms breach EU competition rules as Meta rolls out its own Meta AI assistant on the platform.

For eeNews Europe readers, the probe is potentially significant because WhatsApp is widely used as a customer channel and interface layer, including by AI- and cloud-based service providers that rely on messaging apps as part of their engagement stack. Any constraints on third-party assistants in core communications infrastructure could influence how European SaaS, CPaaS and AI-tool vendors design and deliver their services.

How Meta’s WhatsApp AI policy is being challenged

Meta’s updated policy, announced in October 2025, prohibits AI providers from using the WhatsApp Business Solution when AI is the primary service they offer. Businesses may still employ AI tools for ancillary tasks, such as automated customer support via WhatsApp, but not as the core service delivered through the channel. The Commission is concerned this approach may prevent third-party AI providers from offering their services via WhatsApp in the EEA, while Meta’s own Meta AI remains available on the platform.

For many European AI startups and software vendors, WhatsApp effectively functions as a front-end to conversational assistants, support bots and lightweight transaction flows. If rival AI services are curtailed while Meta’s own assistant continues to run, the Commission sees a potential risk of foreclosure in a market where messaging apps act as key gateways to end users.

The policy is being implemented through changes to the WhatsApp Business Application Programming Interface terms. For AI providers already on WhatsApp, the new terms apply from 15 January 2026, while providers joining the platform after 15 October 2025 are already subject to the restrictions.

Scope, legal basis and implications for AI competition

The formal investigation covers the entire EEA except Italy, where the national competition authority is already pursuing related proceedings. If the Commission ultimately finds an abuse of dominance, the conduct could fall under Article 102 TFEU and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement, which prohibit practices that restrict competition within the Single Market. The opening of the antitrust investigation into Meta does not prejudge the outcome, and there is no fixed deadline for completion.

In a statement accompanying the announcement, Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said:

“AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond. We must ensure European citizens and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors. This is why we are investigating if Meta’s new policy might be illegal under competition rules, and whether we should act quickly to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space.”

According to the official press material on the Commission’s press corner site, the investigation has been prioritised, with further details to be published in the public case register under case number AT.41034.