BRUSSELS, March 5, 2026, 16:36 CET
- Meta will open the WhatsApp Business API in Europe for 12 months, allowing third-party, general-purpose AI chatbots to access it—for a fee.
- EU antitrust regulators are considering interim measures as they investigate access restrictions
- The developer behind Poke.com says rivals are still kept out by the current pricing.
Meta Platforms, Inc. is opening up WhatsApp in Europe to rival AI chatbots for a year, with access coming through its WhatsApp Business API—at a fee. “We believe that this removes the need for any immediate intervention,” a Meta spokesperson said. Reuters
The European Commission has put Meta on notice, saying it could slap the company with interim measures—a kind of provisional order aimed at heading off “serious and irreparable harm” before antitrust officials deliver a verdict. “We must protect effective competition in this vibrant field,” said EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera as the Commission laid out its case. For its part, Meta pushed back, arguing there’s no cause for EU intervention. Reuters
Meta charges between €0.0490 and €0.1323 per “non-template” message in Europe, with the fee shifting depending on the country, according to TechCrunch. “Non-template” here means standard messages, not the pre-approved kind. The company rolled out its wider restriction on Jan. 15, but businesses using AI tools for customer support on WhatsApp aren’t affected by the new policy, TechCrunch also noted. TechCrunch
The Interaction Company, the California business responsible for the Poke.com assistant and a complainant before both EU and Italian authorities, pressed Brussels to issue an interim order. CEO Marvin von Hagen took direct aim at Meta’s approach: “What Meta presents as good-faith compliance is in reality the opposite,” he said, slamming the pricing as “vexatious.” The Economic Times
Charging per message is straightforward enough, but taking the hit is something else. Smaller developers feel it most: chatbots firing off thousands of quick replies daily, and costs can snowball before you know it.
Meta has dealt with comparable directives beyond Brussels. According to MarketScreener, which referenced Dow Jones Newswires, the company reopened WhatsApp access to competing AI providers in Italy back in January, following a court injunction. After a Brazilian court revived a similar order this week, Meta’s plan is to implement the same pricing structure there. MarketScreener
Companies rely on the WhatsApp Business API to handle high-volume messaging. Lately, though, regulators are starting to view it less as a retailer’s utility and more as a potential bottleneck—especially for consumer AI assistants trying to operate alongside personal and work chats in the same threads.
Indonesia’s communications ministry on Thursday slapped Meta with what it called a “stern warning,” charging the tech giant with not doing enough to rein in online gambling and disinformation on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to the ministry, Meta responded to just 28.47% of flagged posts. Minister Meutya Hafid said the unchecked content “threaten lives in Indonesia.” Reuters
Meta is moving to pre-empt criticism over the power demands fueling its AI ambitions. On Wednesday, the company signed onto a White House pledge—alongside Google, Microsoft, and Amazon—to shoulder the costs of additional electricity generation needed for sprawling data centers. The deal comes as lawmakers and local communities are taking a hard look at rising power bills and grid stress from surging data-center expansion. Reuters
Prosecutors in New Mexico rolled out video testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri as part of a consumer-protection trial dealing with accusations the tech giant harmed children. Mosseri told the court Meta aims to “prioritize safety over profits,” though he cautioned, given Instagram’s scale, “problematic content will be seen.” AP News
The EU dispute hasn’t wrapped up yet. Regulators might rule that Meta’s fees or technical requirements still block proper access for rivals, which could lead to stricter demands—possibly new pricing or wider access—once the 12-month period runs out.
Meta slipped roughly 0.7% at the open in New York.
