Meta Platforms has lost its legal challenge against the European Union’s decision to classify its Messenger service as a “gatekeeper” platform, a designation that places strict regulatory obligations on major tech companies with significant market influence.
The ruling was delivered by the General Court in Luxembourg, Europe’s second-highest judicial body, which confirmed the European Commission’s assessment that Messenger serves as an important gateway connecting businesses with users. Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), such platforms are subject to enhanced rules designed to ensure fair competition and limit the dominance of Big Tech firms.
Judges stated that the Commission was correct in its assessment, saying it “did not err in finding that Messenger individually is an important gateway,” thereby reinforcing the regulatory framework applied to large digital platforms operating within the European market.
However, the court partially ruled in favour of Meta by annulling the Commission’s earlier decision to designate the company’s Marketplace service as a gatekeeper platform. The judges said the regulator had not sufficiently explained its reasoning when applying the classification to Marketplace. That decision is largely symbolic at this stage, as the European Commission had already withdrawn the designation after the service fell below the required user threshold last year.
Meta responded positively to the partial ruling. A company spokesperson said it welcomed the court’s decision regarding Marketplace, adding that it confirmed the service should not have been designated under the DMA. The company also said it is reviewing the judgment related to Messenger and is considering its next legal steps.
The Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023, is one of the European Union’s most significant efforts to regulate the power of major technology companies. It sets out a series of obligations and restrictions aimed at preventing dominant platforms from unfairly limiting competition, while ensuring smaller firms can access digital markets on more equal terms.
The law specifically targets companies that act as critical intermediaries between businesses and consumers, requiring them to follow strict rules on data use, interoperability, and platform fairness.
The ruling can still be appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the bloc’s highest court, leaving open the possibility of further legal proceedings in the case.
For now, the judgment strengthens the European Commission’s approach to regulating large messaging platforms, while also highlighting the ongoing legal and regulatory tensions between Big Tech companies and EU authorities as digital market rules continue to evolve.
