France will ban unsolicited telemarketing calls starting August 11 under a new law aimed at protecting consumers from intrusive sales pitches and fraudulent practices. The law, backed by President Emmanuel Macron's government, follows a joint call by 11 consumer groups who denounced the "relentless harassment" of unwanted calls to both landlines and mobile phones.

Authorities estimate that about three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited sales call every week. Under the new rules, businesses are prohibited from contacting consumers without prior consent, which can be withdrawn at any time. Violators face steep penalties: individuals can be fined up to €75,000 per call, while companies may face fines of up to €375,000 per call.

People can report unsolicited calls through a government website. Exceptions exist for consumers who have given explicit consent or for companies contacting existing contractual customers. Previously, people had to register with a no-call list, but consumer groups said some call centers ignored it. Last year, an Ireland-based company was fined €6 million for violating prior telemarketing rules.

The law raises concerns in Morocco, where Employment Minister Younes Sekkouri warned that between 40,000 and 50,000 jobs could be at risk in call centers, as the French market accounts for over 80% of revenue in the sector.