France Moves to Ban Telemarketing Without Consumer Consent

The National Assembly has approved a law requiring explicit consumer consent for telemarketing, aiming to curb fraud and harassment.

The French National Assembly voted unanimously to prohibit telemarketing calls without prior consumer consent, marking a shift to an 'opt-in' system.
The legislation, introduced by ecologist MP Delphine Batho, aims to combat aggressive and fraudulent telemarketing practices tied to public aid programs and other sectors.
The law responds to the inefficacy of existing measures like the Bloctel opt-out list, which has seen limited compliance and effectiveness since its implementation in 2016.
The proposal is part of a broader bill addressing fraud in public aid, including measures to suspend aid payments during investigations and improve inter-agency information sharing.
The text now moves to the Senate for further consideration, with proponents optimistic about its chances for final adoption.