MESSAGING IN EUROPEAN UNION
🇪🇺 WhatsApp messaging rules in European Union.
The rules that matter when you send WhatsApp marketing, sales and service messages to people in European Union, in plain English, checked 28 September 2026.
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Illustrative example. Names and details are made up.
The laws.
- GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679)
- ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC, as implemented in each country
- EU AI Act transparency rules (Article 50) from 2 August 2026
THE RULES
What they mean for WhatsApp.
| Rule | What it means for WhatsApp |
|---|---|
| What’s covered | Direct marketing by “electronic mail” under the ePrivacy Directive, which is very likely to include WhatsApp. |
| Consent | Prior consent for direct marketing, with a soft opt-in for existing customers in most countries. National rules differ, for example Germany. |
| Lawful basis | Consent for marketing where ePrivacy requires it; contract for service and transactional messages. |
| Transparency | Tell people who you are, why you’re messaging, and how to object or opt out. |
| AI replies | If people interact with an AI system, they must be told unless it’s obvious (AI Act Article 50, from 2 August 2026). |
| Transfers | Personal data sent outside the EU needs a transfer mechanism. ConvoHut offers the EU Standard Contractual Clauses in its Data Processing Addendum. |
RISK
Enforcement.
GDPR fines can reach €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover.
META
Plus Meta’s rules, everywhere.
- Opt-in: people must agree to receive WhatsApp messages from your business, and the opt-in must name your business.
- Templates: messages you start outside a customer’s 24-hour window must use approved templates.
- Opt-outs: respect requests to stop, made on WhatsApp or anywhere else.
- A human: give people a way to reach a person.
- No sensitive data requests: never ask for full card numbers, bank account numbers or ID numbers in the chat.
IN THE PRODUCT
How ConvoHut helps.
HOW CONVOHUT HELPS
- A compliance review for each market before an automation or campaign goes live, covering consent, an unsubscribe option in the template and your sender details.
- Every contact has a consent status, visible in the inbox next to the conversation.
- Opt-outs stop journeys for that contact and exclude them from future marketing messages.
- Quiet hours by market, so messages aren’t sent in the middle of the night.
- A confirmation step before any campaign is sent, with the Meta cost shown first.
ConvoHut’s checks help you follow the rules. They don’t replace your own legal obligations, and you’re responsible for the consent you collect and the messages you send.
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