Fez – A new French law aimed at protecting consumers from unwanted phone calls is creating uncertainty for Morocco’s call center industry, raising concerns over the future of thousands of jobs, particularly among young workers.
The legislation was adopted on June 30, 2025, and it is scheduled to come into force on August 11 this year.
It prohibits companies from making commercial phone calls to consumers unless they have received prior and verifiable consent.
The measure marks a major shift in how telemarketing operates in France and could have significant consequences for Moroccan businesses that depend heavily on the French market.
Morocco has become one of the leading outsourcing destinations for French companies over the past two decades.
Thousands of young Moroccans have built careers in call centers, particularly in cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech, and Fez.
The sector has long been an important source of employment for graduates and young professionals seeking entry into the labor market.
However, the new French rules threaten a business model that relies on outbound sales calls.
Industry estimates suggest that between 40,000 and 50,000 jobs could be affected, particularly in small and medium-sized call centers whose activities are focused almost entirely on telemarketing.
The French market represents the majority of many of these companies’ business.
Once the new law takes effect, agents will no longer be able to contact potential customers unless those individuals have already agreed to be contacted.
As a result, traditional cold-calling campaigns will largely disappear.
The impact is expected to be uneven across the industry.
Large outsourcing groups have gradually diversified their activities over recent years and are now active in customer service, technical support, digital operations, data management and business process outsourcing.
These segments are expected to remain largely unaffected by the new legislation.
Smaller operators face a much greater challenge.
Many have built their entire business around outbound sales campaigns for French clients in sectors such as energy services, insurance, telecommunications and home improvement.
For these companies, adapting to the new regulatory environment may prove difficult and costly.
This comes at a time when the sector is already undergoing major transformation due to advances in artificial intelligence.
Automated systems are increasingly capable of handling customer interactions, processing requests, and qualifying sales leads.
As companies invest in these technologies, some routine tasks previously performed by human agents are being reduced.
For Moroccan youth, the developments highlight the changing nature of employment in the outsourcing industry.
Call centers have traditionally offered accessible job opportunities for multilingual candidates, particularly those fluent in French.
The sector has played an important role in reducing unemployment among young people and providing valuable professional experience.
Experts believe that while traditional telemarketing may decline, new opportunities are emerging in higher-value services.
Customer experience management, digital support, data analysis, e-commerce services, and AI-related activities are expected to generate growing demand for skilled workers.
The transition may not be immediate, however.
Workers whose positions are directly linked to outbound sales activities could face a period of uncertainty as companies adjust their business models.
Training and reskilling programs may become increasingly important to help employees move into new roles.
The challenge also underlines Morocco’s dependence on external markets.
The French market remains the dominant destination for many outsourcing firms, making the sector vulnerable to regulatory changes beyond Morocco’s borders.
This French law therefore demonstrates how decisions taken abroad can have direct consequences for employment at home.
While the reform is being welcomed in France as a victory for consumer protection, its effects will be closely watched in Morocco.
For thousands of young workers and dozens of businesses, the coming months will be critical as the industry adapts to a new reality shaped by stricter regulations and rapid technological change.
