Is Cold Calling Finally Over? The State Is Reacting, and It's Coming Soon

The phone rings for the third time today , and it's not even noon yet... You pick up, and suddenly someone offers to change your operator , replace your heat pump or even install solar panels . According to a survey carried out in October 2024 by the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir , 97% of French people are annoyed by cold calling. Don't worry: this untimely hell will soon be behind you !

This Wednesday, May 21, 2025 , the new law on telephone canvassing was ratified by Parliament. The principle is simple, and completely reverses the logic of canvassing : calling an individual without their prior consent becomes purely and simply prohibited . Until now, you were considered to have consented to being canvassed as long as you did not object by registering on the Bloctel list .

A law that prohibits (almost) all commercial calls

The best part: you don't have to do anything to benefit from this new way of working. If you haven't knowingly and explicitly given your contact details to a company, they won't be allowed to call you . The law also provides for a complete ban on canvassing to sell work to adapt homes for aging and disability . As a reminder, canvassing is already prohibited in the energy renovation and professional training account sectors.

Please also note that you may be approached - without your prior authorization - in the context of a contract that is still in progress .

An application planned for August 2026

This law will come into force on August 11, 2026. A regrettable delay for individuals, but essential to allow professionals to turn around and the State to prepare .

While cold calling is synonymous with repeated ringing for many, for some companies it is a business model that is collapsing . They need time to adapt their practices , review their customer files and implement reliable consent collection systems . This date also corresponds to the end of the government's contract with Bloctel .

In the meantime, current rules continue to apply ... but tools exist to limit calls .

Very severe sanctions planned

Once the law comes into force, violators will face very severe penalties . Fines can reach up to €75,000 for an individual , €350,000 for a legal entity , and up to €500,000 and five years in prison for repeat offenses or proven fraud . In other words, abusive canvassing will cost dearly for those who choose to defy the ban.

What to do in the meantime?

While waiting for this law to come into force, you can reduce the number of calls that punctuate your day:

• Sign up on Bloctel , a free and useful platform - even if some companies don't respect it.
• Also use the site respectemesdatas.fr , which allows you to withdraw your consent to the use of your personal data by third parties.
• Never give out your number without reading the legal notices on a website, competition, or customer service.
• Block unwanted numbers on your phone or via dedicated apps like Orange Phone, Truecaller or VeroSMS .
• Finally, avoid calling an unknown number or pressing a key during the call . This confirms that your line is active … and exposes you to other requests.

Be vigilant : scammers don't care about the rules . Many scammers use cold calling techniques to extract money or valuable personal information from their victims.