The Paris Court of Appeal has rejected Meta's appeals against interim measures imposed by France's competition authority in a dispute over payments to news publishers. The court said Meta's method for setting so-called neighbouring rights payments may amount to abuse of a dominant position. Meta says it will keep complying while it weighs next steps.
What the court decided
Reuters reported the ruling on October 29. EU law lets press publishers seek payment when their content is used online. Meta's agreement with French press associations on the amount due expired in 2024, the two sides have not agreed since, and French media have received no payment since 2025.
The associations went to the competition authority, which imposed two interim measures in July. Meta appealed in August, and the appeals court has now turned those appeals down.
What Meta must do
The measures stay in force while the main case continues.
- Resume negotiations with media groups
- Share information on revenue from its platforms and on its use of protected content
- Avoid degrading how press content is displayed on its apps
How both sides reacted
A Meta spokesperson said the company was disappointed, is assessing next steps and will negotiate in good faith. DVP, an association whose members include Le Monde and Les Echos, welcomed the ruling and said it will keep pressing members' interests with the regulator and in talks with Meta.
Why advertisers should care
There is no direct change to campaigns. The relevant part is the requirement not to degrade press content: Meta cannot quietly suppress news in French feeds as a negotiating lever, which keeps inventory around news content stable in France for now.
More broadly, it is another European case where regulators can demand revenue data and set conduct rules for Meta's platforms. Add it to the list alongside the DMA and the commercial-terms complaints when you assess regional platform risk.
What it means for you
- No campaign or settings change for advertisers today
- Meta must keep press content display intact in France while talks run
- Regulators can demand Meta revenue data; expect more such cases in the EU
- Track European rulings when planning longer-term spend by market
