France will from next week ban unsolicited telemarketing calls under a new law aimed at protecting consumers from intrusive sales pitches and shielding vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices.The law backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s government will come into force on August 11.While several countries have tried opt-out systems, France is hoping more muscular obligatory opt-in rules will be more effective.Here’s a look at the law and its potential impact.People have complained for yearsPreviously in France, people who wanted to avoid marketing calls had to register their phone number with a government-run service, but consumer groups said some call centres ignored the list.From next week “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. “That consent can be withdrawn at any time.”The government said the law is a response to years of consumer complaints. Authorities estimated about three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited sales call every week, and many receive more.In 2024, 11 consumer organisations issued a joint call for a ban, denouncing “relentless harassment of consumers through countless unwanted telemarketing calls to landlines and mobile phones, an intrusion that has become a regular part of their daily lives”.Parliament approved the law last year.Fines of up to €375,000Individuals who make illegal calls can be fined up to €75,000 (R1.4m) per call. Companies can face fines of up to €375,000 (R7m) per call.There are exceptions. Consumers may consent to receive marketing calls, for example by checking a consent box on a form. Companies can contact customers with new commercial offers if they already have a contractual relationship.People can report unsolicited calls through a government website.Vilcot said an Ireland-based company was fined €6m (R113m) last year for violating France’s previous telemarketing rules by calling people on the no-call list.Morocco raised concerns over job impactFrance’s new law has raised concerns in Morocco, where the minister of employment, Younes Sekkouri, told lawmakers up to 50,000 jobs were at risk in the country’s call centres. Sekkouri said the industry has attracted about $100m (R1.63bn) in investment and generates more than $1bn (R16.3bn) in annual revenue in the country.Low labour costs, a large French-speaking workforce and relatively weak unions have made Morocco an attractive outsourcing destination for international companies, particularly French firms seeking to reduce costs.Youssef Chraïbi, president of the Moroccan Federation for Outsourcing Services, told the local daily Le Matin the French market has historically accounted for more than 80% of the industry’s revenue.“Pure telemarketing represents only 15% to 20% of total activity,” Chraïbi said, adding the sector has increasingly diversified beyond traditional call centre services.Other countries have tried to limit callsNeighbouring Germany has had a similar ban in force since 2009.The Netherlands tightened rules on telemarketing calls last month. The country had already banned unsolicited sales calls but now companies are not allowed to call their own customers with promotional offers without previous authorisation.Many other countries rely on opt-out systems.In the US, people can sign up for the national Do Not Call registry, which cuts down on unwanted sales calls, Canada has its own Do Not Call list, while the UK has the Telephone Preference Service.In Britain, companies that call people who have opted out can be fined up to £500,000 (R11m) per call.AP