Meta appears in an EU-related hearing seeking to fend off an order tied to competition and interoperability rules affecting WhatsApp and AI chatbot functionality, according to reports. The company requests a closed hearing date on Tuesday, after the European Commission, last month, issued an additional charge sheet. The charge sheet outlines the Commission’s plan, which includes steps intended to open access for rival AI chatbot services on the WhatsApp platform. Meta’s legal challenge centres on preventing or delaying the Commission’s order while the case proceeds. The Commission’s action reflects its broader enforcement approach under EU competition and digital regulations, aiming to ensure that dominant platform operators do not restrict competitors’ ability to reach users in ways that could reduce competition. In the reporting available, both outlets describe Meta’s attempt to oppose the EU order at the hearing, but do not provide detailed technical terms of the directive or Meta’s specific counter-arguments beyond seeking to block the order and adjusting the procedural approach for the hearing. The outcome will determine how, and whether, rival AI chatbot providers can connect through WhatsApp as EU proceedings continue.