France will begin enforcing a nationwide ban on unsolicited telemarketing calls on August 11 under a new consumer protection law, raising concerns in Morocco, whose call center industry depends heavily on the French market.
The legislation, backed by President Emmanuel Macron's government, prohibits companies from contacting consumers for commercial purposes without their prior consent. Consumers who agree to receive marketing calls will retain the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
French authorities say the law responds to years of complaints over intrusive sales calls and fraudulent commercial practices. According to the government, around three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited marketing call every week, with many reporting multiple calls.
Under the new rules, individuals making illegal telemarketing calls face fines of up to €75,000 per violation, while companies can be fined as much as €375,000 per breach. Authorities also maintain an online platform where consumers can report violations. The stricter framework follows years of criticism that France's previous opt-out system failed to prevent unwanted calls despite the existence of a national "do not call" registry.
Morocco's outsourcing sector faces uncertainty
The French legislation has prompted concern in Morocco, one of the world's leading French-language outsourcing hubs.
Earlier this year, Morocco's Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, warned that the new French rules could put between 40,000 and 50,000 jobs at risk in the Kingdom's call center sector.
Speaking in March, Sekkouri noted that the French market generates more than 80% of revenues for Morocco's customer relations and business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, highlighting the sector's heavy dependence on French clients.
Morocco has developed a major outsourcing industry over the past two decades, attracting French and European companies thanks to its French-speaking workforce, competitive labor costs, and geographic proximity to Europe. Thousands of Moroccans are employed in customer service, technical support, debt collection, and telemarketing operations serving French consumers.
Industry observers expect companies operating in Morocco to increasingly shift toward consent-based marketing, customer support services, and other higher-value outsourcing activities that are not affected by the ban.
Limited exceptions remain
The French law does not prohibit all commercial calls. Businesses may still contact consumers who have explicitly agreed to receive marketing communications, such as by checking a consent box when signing up for a service. Companies are also allowed to make commercial offers to customers with whom they already have an existing contractual relationship, subject to applicable consumer protection rules.
France joins countries such as Germany, which has long required prior consumer consent for telemarketing, as European governments continue tightening regulations aimed at reducing unwanted commercial calls and protecting consumers from fraud.
