One law in Paris. Up to 50,000 jobs at risk in Morocco. France will ban unsolicited telemarketing calls starting next week, under a new law meant to protect consumers from intrusive sales pitches and shield vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices — but the measure has raised alarm in Morocco, where officials warn tens of thousands of call center jobs could be at risk.
The law, backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s government, takes effect Aug. 11.
For years, people in France who wanted to avoid marketing calls had to register their number with a government-run service, but consumer groups said some call centers ignored the list. Now, “businesses are prohibited from contacting consumers without their prior consent”, said Alice Vilcot, chief of staff at the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Prevention of Fraud, adding that consent can be withdrawn at any time.
The government says the law responds to years of complaints. Authorities estimate about three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited sales call every week, with many receiving more. In 2024, 11 consumer organizations jointly called for a ban, denouncing what they described as relentless harassment through countless unwanted calls to landlines and mobile phones. Parliament approved the law last year.
Individuals who make illegal calls can be fined up to 75,000 euros ($87,000) per call, and companies up to 375,000 euros ($435,000) per call. There are exceptions: consumers can consent to marketing calls, for instance by checking a box on a form, and companies can contact existing customers about new offers if a contractual relationship already exists. People can report unsolicited calls through a government website. Vilcot noted an Ireland-based company was fined 6 million euros ($6.9 million) last year for violating France’s previous rules by calling people on the no-call list.
The law has raised concerns in Morocco, where the minister of employment, Younes Sekkouri, said in March that between 40,000 and 50,000 jobs were at risk in the country’s call centers. Sekkouri said the French market accounts for more than 80% of revenue in the sector — underscoring just how exposed Morocco’s call center industry is to a single regulatory shift in Paris.
Other countries have tried to limit unwanted calls in different ways. Neighboring Germany has had a similar ban since 2009. Many other countries rely on opt-out systems instead: the United States has its national Do Not Call registry, Canada has its own Do Not Call list, and the U.K. has the Telephone Preference Service, where companies that call people who opted out can be fined up to 500,000 pounds ($670,000) per call.
- Source: AP