France Bans Unsolicited Telemarketing Calls

In a move hailed by consumer advocates as a “small revolution,” France has outlawed unsolicited phone calls from businesses across all sectors. The law takes effect on Tuesday and applies to any call that could be seen as a cold approach to a private citizen. Only calls related to a prior contract or made with explicit prior consent are now permitted.

“Peace and quiet is a right, and it is time to stop exposing consumers to unwanted solicitations,” said Marie‑Amandine Stévenin, president of consumer advocacy group Que Choisir Ensemble. She added that the law will help break the “automatic assumption” that anyone in a private space is a available marketing target.

The law hasn’t gone unchallenged. Business groups argue it adds heavy administrative burdens: companies now need to secure written consent and maintain records to prove it. Frédéric Billon, head of the Fédération de la Vente Directe, said the new rules force firms to obtain, store and monitor consent documentation.

Moroccan officials, whose call‑centre sector relies heavily on French clients, also warn about job losses. A government minister estimated that the restrictions could eliminate as many as 50,000 jobs, according to a report in Le Matin. The French change could ripple across the industry, putting pressure on international partners who carry out sales calls in French‑speaking regions.

Data from a 2025 parliamentary report shows that 97 % of French people are annoyed by telemarketing calls, an issue that unites the majority of the population. The study found 72 % of respondents said they received calls on their mobile phones at least once a week, while 38 % said they were called once a day.

The decision aligns France with other European nations such as Germany, Austria and Italy that already impose stringent restrictions on cold calls. In the United Kingdom, unsolicited calls remain legal unless the recipient has explicitly opposed them or their number is on the national do‑not‑call list.