Many elected officials noted in particular the “inefficiency” of the “Bloctel” system, a telephone opposition list that came into force in 2016, which allows consumers, at their request, to be spared canvassing. But if more than six million French people are registered, “this represents only 9% of French people and 10% of telephone lines”, noted the centrist rapporteur Olivia Richard, mobilized against these “daily irritants which poison our lives”. The bill adopted Thursday by the Senate therefore proposes a “paradigm change” by switching to an “opt-in” logic: “We can no longer be called if we have not given informed consent to a company », summarized Pierre-Jean Verzelen.
Measured device
If the author of the text initially proposed creating a “dedicated consent list”, whose compatibility with the European regulation on personal data (GDPR) was called into question, the Senate ultimately fell back on a more measured system , with alignment with the electronic canvassing regime.
“It will now be up to each professional to obtain prior consent from the consumer”, on a “case by case” basis”, detailed the Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs Laurence Garnier, rather benevolent towards the measure even if she called to rework it in the Assembly if the Lower House takes it up.
Plethora of restrictive measures
To limit circumvention of this new regime, the Senate also adopted an amendment from the environmental group to prohibit companies from making the purchase of a good or service conditional on consent to cold calling. “It’s obvious that smart people will try by all means to get their customers to agree to canvassing,” warned Senator Mélanie Vogel.
