France ends telemarketing without consumer consent

France has enacted a new law that prohibits unsolicited commercial phone calls, requiring companies to obtain prior consent from consumers. This measure, approved by the French Parliament in May 2025, aims to give consumers more control over telemarketing.

Under the new regulation, businesses must clearly explain their identity, the purpose of their call, and the duration for which they seek permission, which cannot exceed one year. Consumers retain the right to withdraw their consent at any time, even verbally. The law also significantly increases penalties for violations.

Companies making calls without consent face fines of up to 375,000 euros, while individuals could be fined up to 75,000 euros. If an illegal contact leads to a product or service sale deemed a deceptive practice, fines can reach 1.5 million euros or 10% of a company's turnover.

Two exceptions exist: companies can contact existing customers with active contracts, and telemarketing for print media subscriptions is still permitted. However, the law's effectiveness against fraudulent calls, which were already illegal, remains a concern. Many scams, such as those offering solar panels or impersonating bank advisors, originate abroad and use fake French numbers. The increasing use of AI-generated voices further complicates efforts to identify and combat these calls. The French telecommunications regulator, Arcep, is investigating whether operators are doing enough to identify call origins and prevent number spoofing.