BRUSSELS, Belgium: European Union regulators have ordered Meta Platforms to restore access to WhatsApp for competing artificial intelligence services, while authorities continue to investigate whether the company unfairly favored its own AI products.

The European Commission announced on June 9 that Meta must allow rival AI chatbots to use WhatsApp's Business Application Programming Interface (API) free of charge, on the same terms as before October last year.

The interim measure marks the Commission's first such action in 17 years and comes as regulators examine allegations that Meta abused its market position by restricting competitors' access to the popular messaging platform.

The case stems from complaints filed by California-based The Interaction Company, which develops the Poke.com AI assistant, as well as French startup Agentik and a Spanish rival.

The complaints led the Commission to open an investigation in December, followed by formal charges against Meta two months later, alleging violations of EU antitrust rules.

"In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted," EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement.

"These interim measures will safeguard competition in the growing market for AI assistants, by preserving a key entry point to reach consumers in Europe – WhatsApp – and allowing AI companies to innovate, scale up and reach their full potential," she said.

According to the Commission, Meta blocked rival AI services from accessing the WhatsApp Business API in October while continuing to allow its own Meta AI assistant to use the platform.

The API enables companies to connect their systems and services to WhatsApp.

In March, Meta restored access to competitors but introduced fees for using the service, a move that regulators said raised competition concerns.

Under the Commission's order, Meta must reinstate access for rival AI providers within five working days and apply the same conditions that existed before the restrictions were introduced.

Meta criticized the decision and said it intends to challenge the order. "The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and some of the largest companies in the world can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free," a Meta spokesperson said in an email.

"This is regulatory overreach subsidized by the many European companies that pay. We will appeal."

The investigation into Meta's conduct remains ongoing.

If regulators ultimately conclude that the company violated EU antitrust rules, Meta could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its global annual turnover.