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EU Court Reopens WhatsApp Appeal

Published February 10, 2026, 12:20
EU Court Reopens WhatsApp Appeal

The Court of Justice of the European Union has referred WhatsApp's appeal against the European data protection watchdog back to the General Court, prolonging a legal dispute over a €225 million fine imposed on the company. The Court ruled that WhatsApp's appeal is admissible, overturning a previous decision by the General Court that had dismissed it. The case concerns the intervention of the European Data Protection Board in a dispute between national authorities, resulting in the Irish authority being obliged to increase corrective measures against WhatsApp. The Irish authority imposed fines on the company for violations of the transparency rules of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). WhatsApp had appealed against the decision, but the General Court had dismissed the appeal in 2022. With the new decision, the case returns to the General Court, which will examine the case on its merits, i.e. whether WhatsApp actually violated the GDPR.