PARIS, France – France has enacted a nationwide ban prohibiting unsolicited telemarketing calls without prior consumer consent, replacing its former opt-out framework with a mandatory opt-in model.
According to Okay News reports, the law aims to protect citizens from aggressive commercial pitches and fraudulent sales schemes following years of consumer complaints. Under the new enforcement rules, individuals making unauthorized calls face fines of up to 75,000 euros ($86,500) per violation, while companies face penalties of up to 375,000 euros ($432,800).
The regulations allow exceptions for businesses contacting existing contractual clients or individuals who explicitly opt in through promotional forms. However, the ban has raised economic concerns in Morocco, where government officials estimate that up to 50,000 jobs in the country’s outsourcing industry could be impacted due to decreased demand from French call centers.
The legislation aligns France with neighboring Germany and the Netherlands, which maintain similar telemarketing restrictions. In contrast, nations including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom continue to rely on national opt-out registries to curb unwanted commercial calls.
