France is preparing to effectively end unsolicited telephone marketing on August 11, 2026, following the full implementation of a law passed last year. The legislation, designed to combat abusive practices, will require companies to obtain explicit consent before contacting individuals by phone, email, SMS, or social media.
The law, promulgated on June 30, 2025, has been undergoing a transition period while awaiting the publication of an implementing decree and the expiration of the existing “Bloctel” opt-out list. Bloctel, launched in 2016, allowed individuals to register their numbers to avoid unsolicited calls, but its effectiveness has been limited. The new law shifts the onus from consumers to businesses, requiring affirmative consent for marketing communications.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, a consumer advocacy group that has long campaigned against aggressive telemarketing, the consent required will need to be “free, specific, informed, unambiguous and revocable,” as outlined in Article 13 of the law. Businesses will bear the responsibility of proving they obtained valid consent if challenged.
The ban will not be absolute. Companies will still be permitted to contact existing customers to offer products or services related to their current contracts, such as presenting improved offers. However, even in these cases, the principle of prior consent will apply.
The move comes alongside increased scrutiny of fraudulent calls and the misuse of telephone numbers. The French regulatory authority for electronic communications, Arcep, reported a doubling of reports concerning fraudulent calls and number spoofing between 2024 and 2025, with over 23,000 complaints filed in 2025. Arcep has implemented measures requiring operators to authenticate caller IDs, blocking masked or randomly generated numbers, particularly those originating from abroad and falsely displaying French numbers.
New regulations, effective since January 2026, mandate that operators like Orange, SFR, Free, and Bouygues Mobile validate the identity of each caller before connecting the call. This authentication process aims to prevent fraudsters from using spoofed numbers for scams related to training funds (CPF) or energy renovation schemes. The Arcep is also maintaining a strict list of authorized numbers per subscriber to further combat abuse.
Prior to August 11, 2026, a period of transition remains. The government’s service-public.fr website advises vigilance during this time. A previous ban on telemarketing in the sectors of energy renovation and adaptation of homes for the elderly and disabled came into effect on July 1, 2025.
The French government’s website, economie.gouv.fr, details the new requirements for businesses, emphasizing the shift to a consent-based system. The upcoming changes are expected to significantly alter the landscape of telemarketing in France, placing a greater burden on companies to demonstrate compliance.
