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Meta secured a partial legal victory on Wednesday after a top European Union court ruled that the bloc had wrongly imposed strict regulatory obligations on its Facebook Marketplace platform, while upholding its designation of Messenger under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The US tech company had challenged the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg over the classification of both services as “core platform services” under the DMA, which subjects major tech firms to enhanced regulatory scrutiny.
Meta argued that Marketplace and Messenger were extensions of Facebook and should not be treated as separate services subject to additional obligations.
In its ruling, the court annulled the European Commission’s decision to designate Meta as a gatekeeper for the Marketplace, stating that the Commission had “erred in law” and failed to adequately consider changes made to the platform in 2023.
The court also found that the Commission’s reasoning on Marketplace was insufficient, particularly in light of modifications made to the service.
However, the judges upheld the designation of Messenger, ruling that it is distinct from the Facebook social network and operates as a standalone application with its own features and tools promoted by Meta.
Meta welcomed the decision, saying the ruling confirmed its position that Marketplace should not have been subject to gatekeeper rules in the first place.
The company said it was reviewing the court’s findings regarding Messenger and would consider its next steps.
The Digital Markets Act introduces strict rules for major online platforms to ensure fair competition and prevent market dominance.
The ruling comes amid broader tensions between the EU and US technology firms over digital regulation, with Washington accusing Brussels of disproportionately targeting American companies—an allegation the EU denies.
Meta is among several global tech firms designated as “gatekeepers” under the DMA, alongside Alphabet (Google’s parent), Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Booking.com, and ByteDance.
The EU has already imposed fines under the law, including penalties on Meta and Apple for violations of digital competition rules.
