BRUSSELS, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Meta's WhatsApp

took its fight against the European Data Protection Board to

Europe's highest court on Tuesday, saying it should be able to

challenge a ruling that led to a 225 million euro ($236 million)

fine by Ireland's privacy watchdog.

The Irish data protection watchdog handed out the penalty in

2021 after complaints about WhatsApp's use of personal data in

Ireland. It was jacked up after EDPB's intervention.

WhatsApp's challenge was then dismissed by the

Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second-highest, which

said the company was not directly concerned by the EDPB decision

and that the Irish watchdog had some discretion on its final

decision.

WhatsApp then appealed to the Court of Justice of the

European Union (CJEU), saying its case could affect all

composite administrative proceedings where a European Union body

has decision-making power.

"The order under appeal is flawed and unworkable. The EDPB

decision has legal effects and is of direct concern to

WhatsApp," its lawyer Hans-Georg Kamann told CJEU judges.

The court will rule next year. The case is C-97/23 P

WhatsApp Ireland v European Data Protection Board.

($1 = 0.9527 euros)