Meta said it would appeal the decision.
“This decision ignores the realities of the thriving European market for online classified listing services and shields large incumbent companies from a new entrant, Facebook Marketplace, that meets consumer demand in innovative and convenient new ways,” the company said in a blog post.
The European Commission, which serves as the bloc’s top antitrust enforcer, launched an investigation in 2021 into whether the tech giant was violating regional competition rules, specifically looking at the role Marketplace played in maintaining its dominance. Reuters reported in July that Meta was expected to be fined as a result of the probe.
Last year, Meta agreed to limit what data from its other business it uses to fuel Facebook Marketplace to settle similar complaints from Britain’s competition authority.
European enforcers in July separately accused Meta of violating their sweeping new competition rule book, the Digital Markets Act, by forcing users across its platforms to decide whether to pay to skip ads. The regulations, which took effect in March, represent the most significant global attempt to place new guardrails on competitive abuses in the tech sector.
Meta announced this week that it plans to reduce the subscription cost it would charge for users not to see ads in the EU, and that those who choose to use its site without paying would see fewer personalised ads.
“However, we remain committed to personalised advertising, which will always be the cornerstone of a free and inclusive internet,” the company said.
