New direct marketing rules will take effect on November 12, 2025. The amendment to the Electronic Communications Act bans “cold calling,” tightens restrictions on contacting individuals listed in the Do Not Call Registry, and introduces new obligations for businesses regarding the processing of consent.
As of November 12, November 2025, certain provisions of Act No. 297/2025 Coll., amending Act No. 452/2021 Coll. on Electronic Communications (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”), will take effect.
The amendment introduces several changes, including new rules for direct marketing. These will significantly affect the way businesses can contact customers or potential clients.
Key Changes
- Prohibition of Cold Calling – It is prohibited to call or otherwise contact users for the purpose of obtaining their prior consent (Section 116(4) of the Act).
- Do Not Call Register – It is not permitted to contact a subscriber whose phone number is listed in the register of individuals who have expressed their objection to being contacted, unless the subscriber has granted consent since the register’s last update (Section 116(8) of the Act).
- Limitation on the Retention of Contact Information – Contact information used under an exception (e.g., marketing to existing customers) may be retained for only 1 year after the termination of the contractual relationship (Section 116(16) of the Act).
Practical Recommendations for Businesses
- Stop cold calling—cease making calls for the purpose of obtaining prior consent.
- Verify phone numbers against the Office’s list before every marketing campaign (the so-called Do Not Call Register).
- Respect the prohibition on contacting numbers listed in the registry.
- Review and update consent databases.
- Use a specific phone number for marketing calls—in the format (0) 888 xxxxxx (except when contacting businesses or legal entities using publicly available contact information).
- Indicate the method for revoking consent and establish a process for confirming the revocation or objection to a call within 30 days.
- Retain documentation regarding consents, revocations, and objections for a period of 4 years from the date they were exercised.
- Verify compliance with the 1-year deadline following the termination of the contractual relationship for exceptions to the Do Not Call Registry.
