From Tuesday 11 August, unsolicited sales calls will be illegal in France unless a consumer has explicitly agreed to receive them. The measure, backed by President Emmanuel Macron's government, is designed to end the daily nuisance of cold calling and to shield vulnerable people from fraud.
Under the new rules, companies may only contact consumers who have given prior consent, which can be withdrawn at any time, according to Alice Vilcot, chief of staff at the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. Two exceptions remain: when a firm has already obtained agreement—for example during a purchase, a shop visit, or via a form—and when the call concerns an existing contract.
The government says the law responds to years of complaints. Authorities estimate that around three quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited sales call every week, and many get more. Content creator Micode, in a lengthy investigation on his YouTube channel, documented aggressive techniques and schemes that discourage victims from taking legal action.
In 2024, eleven consumer organisations jointly called for a ban, denouncing the “relentless harassment of consumers through countless unwanted marketing calls to landlines and mobile phones, an intrusion that has become a regular part of their daily lives.”
Penalties are severe: individuals can be fined up to €75,000 per call, and companies up to €375,000 per call.
From opt-out to opt-in
Previous measures—such as banning calls from mobile numbers starting 06 or 07, and restricting calling hours—applied only to certain sectors like personal training accounts, home adaptations for disability or old age, and energy-efficiency renovation. Now the ban covers nearly all sectors.
The old system relied on a do-not-call list, which consumers had to join. The finance ministry, Bercy, says the shift is “from an opt-out system to one based on prior consent.”
But consumer association Que Choisir warns the battle is not over. Its president, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, says that deprived of telephone calls, “many fraudsters will try to change the playing field and operate via door-to-door canvassing.” She is already calling for regulation of that practice.
Morocco fears job losses
The French law has sparked concern in Morocco, where Employment Minister Younes Sekkouri told MPs that up to 50,000 jobs could be at risk in the country's call centres. The industry has attracted around $100 million in investment and generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue, he said.
Low labour costs, a large French-speaking workforce, and relatively weak trade unions have made Morocco an attractive destination for international firms, particularly French companies seeking to cut costs. Youssef Chraïbi, president of the Moroccan Outsourcing Services Federation, told local daily Le Matin that the French market has historically accounted for more than 80% of the sector's revenue. He added that pure telemarketing now represents only 15% to 20% of total activity, as the sector has diversified.
Other European approaches
Germany has had a similar opt-in system since 2009. The Netherlands strengthened its rules last month, banning companies from phoning their own customers with promotional offers without prior permission. Many other countries use opt-out lists: the United States has the National Do Not Call Registry, Canada has its own “Do Not Call List,” and the United Kingdom operates the Telephone Preference Service, with fines up to £500,000 (€583,000) per call.
The French move is part of a broader European push to curb intrusive marketing. As France tightens rules on foreign investment, it is also tightening consumer protections. The new law takes effect on 11 August, and its impact will be felt from Paris to Casablanca.
