Announced jointly by the Ministry of Economy and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), a new telemarketing law aims to address intrusive practices and grant consumers greater control over unwanted calls, effective from August 27th.
In a proactive measure against deceptive telemarketing practices, UAE authorities have recently gazetted comprehensive regulations. All UAE-licensed companies, including those in free zones, must comply with Cabinet Resolutions 56 and 57 of 2024, which outline guidelines for regulating telemarketing calls and stipulate corresponding violations and administrative penalties.
Most of them aim to:
• Reduced call frequency – Calls are only allowed between 9am and 6pm.
• No pushy sales tactics – Companies must avoid pressuring or misleading you.
• No repeated calls – If you reject a product or service, the company cannot call you again about it.
• No more same-day call backs – Telemarketers cannot call you again if you have declined the call or ended the phone call.
• Limited follow-ups – Companies can only call you a maximum of twice a week if you don’t answer the call.
Non-compliant companies that neglect to provide adequate training for their telemarketing agents face escalating fines: Dhs10,000 for the first offense, Dhs25,000 for the second, and Dhs50,000 for subsequent offenses. These regulations will take effect on August 27th, 60 days after their initial publication on June 28, 2024.
“The telemarketing regulations now provide scope for individuals to raise complaints regarding unwanted telemarketing and establish a range of fines and other penalties for companies that ignore the rules,” said Dino Wilkinson, a leading technology lawyer in the UAE and partner at Clyde & Co.
“Ultimately, companies could face losing their telecommunications services or commercial licence if they persist in making nuisance calls,” Wilkinson added, emphasising the severity of penalties for companies persisting in making nuisance telemarketing calls.
