EU slaps Meta with nearly 800 million euro fine for engaging in 'abusive' Marketplace practices

European Union regulators have slapped Facebook’s parent company, Meta, with a fine of nearly 800 million euros for what they have described as “abusive practices” related to its Marketplace online classified ads business.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm and chief antitrust watchdog, imposed a penalty of 797.72 million euros (approximately $841 million) following a long-running investigation. The Commission found that Meta had abused its dominant market position and engaged in anti-competitive behavior.

Brussels accused Meta of distorting competition by linking its Marketplace service to its social media platform, Facebook, automatically exposing users to Marketplace “whether they want it or not,” while blocking competitors from reaching Facebook’s user base.

The Commission also raised concerns about Meta’s terms of service, which, they argued, allowed the company to use ad-related data from its rivals—advertisers on Facebook and Instagram—to benefit its Marketplace business unfairly.

In response, Meta issued a statement rejecting the ruling, arguing that the decision fails to demonstrate any “competitive harm” to rivals or consumers. The company also claimed that the decision overlooks the "thriving European market for online classified listing services" and vowed to appeal the fine.