France Now Says Companies Can't Cold Call You Unless You Said Yes First

From 11 August 2026, France bans companies from calling people at home to sell things unless those people have already agreed to be called. This replaces the old system, which allowed sales calls during certain hours and let people sign up on a list (called Bloctel) to stop them. (Légifrance, 2026-08-09; Légifrance, 2026-07-23)

Until now, French law allowed phone sales calls from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 13:00 and 14:00 and 20:00. Consumers who did not want these calls could put their number on the Bloctel list to opt out. (economie.gouv.fr) That system is now turned on its head. The old rules let companies call by default and let people opt out. The new rules ban calls by default and require companies to get clear permission first. (DGCCRF, 2026-07-27)

The change comes from a law passed on 30 June 2025 against fraud, specifically Article 13 of that law. The details were set by a government decree published on 23 July 2026 in France's official government bulletin. (Légifrance, 2026-08-09; Légifrance, 2026-07-23) France's consumer protection agency, the DGCCRF, confirmed on 5 August 2026 that companies can no longer call consumers without prior consent, and that this applies to every industry. (DGCCRF, 2026-08-05; economie.gouv.fr)

France's data-protection agency, the CNIL, also published guidance before the law took effect. It stated plainly that phone sales calls are now forbidden unless the person has given consent or a specific exception applies. (CNIL; CNIL, 2026-06-10) Before this date, phone sales calls without an automated dialing system were governed by the same rules as marketing letters sent by postal mail. (CNIL, 2026-06-10) The CNIL also looked at how companies share consumer data with partners, suggesting that consent rules apply not just to the call itself but to the whole process of obtaining and passing along contact information. (CNIL, 2026-06-10)

The law is supported by Emmanuel Macron's government, as reported by Euronews on 6 August 2026. (Euronews, 2026-08-06)

The DGCCRF had already signaled the change at the end of 2025, noting in its consumer outlook that from 11 August 2026 it would no longer be possible to call someone for sales purposes without prior consent. (DGCCRF, 2025-12-31)

The broader context here is that France is flipping the rule entirely. Think of it like a nightclub door policy. The old system was like an open door with a sign saying "come in, unless you ask us to lock it." The new system keeps the door locked unless the person on the other side hands over a key. Under the old rules, the consumer had to act to stop calls. Under the new rules, the company has to act to get permission before calling. This is similar to how the EU's privacy law (GDPR) treats personal data: silence or a pre-ticked box does not count as consent. The CNIL's attention to data sharing suggests regulators are watching the whole chain, from how a company gets your contact details to the moment someone dials your number.

For companies running call centers or buying contact lists in France, the new rules are clear but tough. Contact lists built under the old system probably cannot be used anymore unless every person on that list gave clear, documented permission. Companies that buy lists from other providers face the same problem. No industry gets an exception. And because the DGCCRF can enforce consumer protection rules, companies that break the law may face administrative penalties.

There is also the question of which agency enforces what. The CNIL handles data-protection rules for marketing. The DGCCRF handles consumer-protection rules for phone sales. Both published guidance before 11 August 2026, and both care about whether consent was given. Companies will need to meet both agencies' expectations, which on the core question of prior consent now point in the same direction.