EU court sends WhatsApp privacy case back to lower tribunal
Europe’s top court has referred WhatsApp’s legal challenge against the EU privacy watchdog back to a lower tribunal, extending a long-running dispute over data protection enforcement and fines.
The Court of Justice of the European Union said WhatsApp Ireland’s case against a binding decision issued by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is admissible, allowing the legal process to continue, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The dispute stems from a 2021 decision that led Ireland’s data protection authority to increase a fine against WhatsApp to 225 million euros. The penalty was imposed after the EDPB intervened in the Irish regulator’s original ruling.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, previously challenged the fine at a lower tribunal but lost after judges ruled the company was not directly affected by the EDPB decision and that Irish regulators retained discretion in setting the final penalty.
The latest ruling means the case will now be reconsidered at a lower court, prolonging a legal battle that has lasted nearly five years.
The case is being closely watched as it could influence how EU data protection rules are enforced against major global technology companies.
By Aysel Mammadzada
Similar news
