The Netherlands wants EU politicians to tackle aggressive telemarketing and door-to-door sales

The Cabinet wants the EU to allow member states to ban telesales and marketing. Economic Affairs Minister Miki Adriansen discussed the matter on Thursday with the European Commission in The Hague, NOS reported.

The Cabinet has intensified regulations on telemarketing and door-to-door sales. Businesses can now only contact consumers who have expressly consented, and contracts are only binding on a written agreement from the consumer. Adriaansens suggests expanding these rules to include door-to-door sales, including a cooling-off period for consumers after visiting a salesperson.

However, Adriaansens also pointed out that these rules are not enough. “We see that many people still receive cold calls and that consumers cannot always make well-informed decisions when a pushy salesperson is at the door,” she told NOS.

Last August, the Consumers Association reported that the telemarketing law is not fully effective, with 80 percent of consumers still feeling annoyed by telemarketers’ calls. The majority of these calls were from energy suppliers, followed by lotteries and charities.

Adriaansens explained that a general ban on telemarketing and door-to-door sales is not possible in Europe. “We only want a ban on products or contracts where consumers cannot make good decisions, such as complex energy agreements,” she said.

The Cabinet is not seeking a European-wide ban on telemarketing and door-to-door sales, but rather an exception for the Netherlands. This comes in anticipation of next year’s evaluation of European consumer protection rules.