AFP reported on August 6 that France will officially implement a new law on August 11, which completely bans unauthorized marketing spam calls. The law aims to protect consumers from being disturbed by sales calls, as well as to protect vulnerable groups from commercial fraud.
According to the penalties, individuals who violate regulations can face a fine of up to 75,000 euros for each illegal harassment call made. Enterprises that violate regulations can face a maximum fine of 375,000 euros for each illegal sales call made.
Many countries use a "unsubscribe-to-avoid-distractions" mechanism, while France has introduced new regulations with stronger binding forces, requiring users to give active consent, in order to achieve better governance outcomes.
Previously, French citizens had to register their phone numbers on a government-operated harassment-free registration platform in order to block marketing calls. However, consumer rights organizations have reported that many call centers ignore this harassment-free list and continue to make calls to harass users.
French Director of the General Office for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Anti-Fraud, Alice Verco said: "Companies are strictly prohibited from making proactive calls for sales without the prior consent of consumers. Consumers can withdraw their authorization at any time."
The French government stated that the introduction of this bill is in response to numerous complaints from consumers over the years. Officials estimate that approximately three-quarters of French citizens receive at least one unsolicited sales call per week, with many receiving even more harassment calls.
In 2024, 11 consumer protection agencies jointly called for a complete ban on marketing-related harassment calls, condemning “the continuous nuisance caused by a large number of unauthorized sales calls to landline and mobile users, which endlessly interfere with people’s daily lives.”
The French parliament passed this bill last year.
The bill sets exceptions: If consumers actively select the form authorization option, companies may call to send marketing messages according to regulations. When there is a contractual relationship between companies and customers, companies may proactively send new business discounts to existing customers.
If citizens receive harassing calls, they can report them through the government's official website.
The new French law has caused concerns in Morocco. Morocco's Employment Minister, Youssoufi Sékoudi, told local lawmakers that the call center industry in Morocco could lose up to 50,000 jobs. He said that the country's call center outsourcing industry has attracted about $100 million in investment, with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion.
Morocco has low labor costs and a large population speaking French. Its unions have weak control mechanisms, making it an attractive location for multinational companies to outsource their operations. Many French companies outsource their call services to local providers in order to reduce costs.
Morocco outsourcing services union president Yusufu Shariahbi stated in an interview with local media that the French market accounts for over 80% of total outsourcing industry revenue.
Shraiibi added, “Pure telemarketing services now account for only 15% to 20% of the industry’s total business volume. The entire industry has already begun to transform, and services are no longer limited to traditional call center services.”
France's neighboring country Germany has implemented a similar ban on harassing calls since 2009.
The Netherlands tightened regulations on telephone marketing last month: The country already prohibited unsolicited calls from strangers. The new rules require that even when companies call existing customers to promote discounts, they must obtain the customer's consent in advance.
Most other countries still use the “Proactive Unsubscription to Avoid Distractions” model.
American citizens can register a national list of numbers that reduce spam calls. Canada has a dedicated list for blocking such calls. In the UK, a service is available to block calls based on caller preferences.
In the UK, companies that make calls to users on registered do-not-disturb lists can be fined up to £670,000 for single-party violations.
