The Ministry of Economy confirmed to “Emarat Al Youm” that the ministerial decision regarding the regulation of marketing practices via telephone calls in the country will be implemented starting tomorrow, Tuesday, August 27, explaining that the decision aims to regulate and control marketing calls, which ensures better protection for consumers and a more organized approach for companies.
The ministry stressed that the decision reinforces the government’s commitment to establishing a fair and respectful marketing environment, calling on companies and individuals involved in telemarketing to familiarize themselves with the new regulations, to ensure compliance, and avoid potential penalties.
For its part, the Emirates Consumer Protection Association said that the decision is very useful in combating wrong telemarketing practices, and will play a major role in protecting consumers, especially since it includes deterrent penalties.
While a banking expert said that the decision serves the interests of both customers and banks, a real estate sector official called for implementing the penalties included in the ministerial decision to support compliance with it, indicating that telephone marketing is no longer a successful means of real estate marketing at the present time.
Effectiveness of the decision
In detail, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, Abdullah Al Saleh, confirmed to “Emarat Al Youm” that the implementation of the ministerial decision regarding the regulation of marketing practices via telephone calls in the country will begin tomorrow, two months after the publication of the decision in the Official Gazette, which includes a severe fine of up to 150 thousand dirhams for the violator, in addition to stopping the practice of the activity, canceling the license, and deletion from the “registry.”
Al Saleh said that the decision, which was issued in cooperation with a number of government agencies, aims to regulate and control marketing calls, ensuring better protection for consumers and a more organized approach for companies.
Al Saleh stated on his social media accounts that the ministerial decision applies to all actions that violate Cabinet Resolution No. (56) of 2024 regarding the regulation of marketing calls, noting that the administrative penalties on violating companies include warnings and fines, partial or complete suspension of activities for a period ranging from seven days to 90 days, cancellation of licenses, and deletion from the commercial register, including cutting off communications services, while the administrative penalties on individuals include penalties coordinated with licensed communications companies, and severe penalties for repeated violations within a period of six months.
Al Saleh continued: “Companies must obtain prior approval to practice telemarketing activity from the competent authority, and individuals must be prohibited from making marketing calls for products or services in their name, or in the name of their representative. Companies must also not disturb the consumer, adhere to the highest standards of transparency and credibility, and avoid using marketing methods that constitute unjustified pressure. Calls must be made from 9 am to 6 pm only, and not call back if the consumer rejects the product or service on the first call.”
Regarding the controls for making calls, Al Saleh said: “The decision includes specific controls such as obtaining prior approval, training marketers, using local phone numbers, and not contacting consumers registered in the (Do Not Call Registry) DNCR,” noting that “consumer protection mechanisms include the possibility of submitting a complaint to the competent authority regarding unwanted marketing calls, and it is prohibited to disclose personal data without the consumer’s consent.”
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy continued: “If an individual makes marketing calls using a phone number licensed in his name, he will be subject to financial fines starting from 5,000 dirhams, and increasing in the event of repetition, provided that the Central Bank is responsible for everything related to marketing calls for the services of banks, financial institutions and insurance companies.”
Al Saleh stressed that this decision reinforces the government’s commitment to establishing a fair and respectful marketing environment, calling on companies and individuals involved in telemarketing to familiarize themselves with the new regulations, to ensure compliance, and avoid potential penalties.
He pointed out that consumers can register their numbers to request not to receive marketing calls through specific links, which are: the Do Not Disturb link for Etisalat from E&, which is “and the Do Not Call record for Du, which is: “
Wrong practices
In addition, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Consumer Protection Association, Mohammed Khalifa bin Ozair Al Muhairi, said that the decision is very useful in combating wrong practices of telemarketing, and will play a major role in protecting consumers, especially since it includes deterrent penalties.
Al-Muhairi continued: “The most pressing companies and individuals in telemarketing are concentrated in the real estate sector, followed by those working in the banking sector, especially with regard to banking services such as credit cards and personal loans.”
Al-Muhairi demanded that marketing operations related to banks be limited to when the consumer visits the bank and obtains information about loans or banking offers, instead of making phone calls, which causes great inconvenience to consumers. He stressed the importance of focusing marketing operations in real estate on advertising banners on main roads or through specialized exhibitions, in addition to electronic means, and not by phone.
common interest
In the same context, banking expert Awatif Al Harmoudi said: “This decision serves the interests of customers and banks in that it does not allow any party to speak on behalf of the bank, which could cause great harm to the customer and could lead to fraudulent operations.” She expected that the decision would be implemented firmly by banks, especially since the Central Bank has the necessary mechanisms to set regulations and conditions that make implementation possible.
Al-Harmoudi explained: “The aim of the ministerial decision is to regulate the process of telemarketing, which has become a major nuisance and distress to consumers, and not to ban telemarketing in general. Calls must be made from licensed commercial numbers, with the condition of obtaining a permit to practice this activity, and adhering to a ‘code of ethics’ to stop the continuous insistence on calling if the customer asks not to call again.”
Al-Harmoudi confirmed that there are several modern alternatives that are more effective than phone calls for bank employees, most notably communication via bank websites, platforms and applications, in addition to social media, advertising brochures, and the use of email for customers to explain all services related to banks, stressing that the law prohibits banks from promoting their services to customers of other banks.
Real estate marketing
In the same context, Saeed Al Fahim, CEO of Stratum Real Estate Management, called for implementing the deterrent penalties included in the ministerial decision in order to support compliance with the decision.
He said that there is a major challenge in implementing the decision related to calls originating from personal numbers and not numbers registered as companies.
Al Fahim continued: “Telemarketing is not a successful method in real estate marketing at the present time, as it was during the real estate boom in 2007, for example,” noting that marketing via social media has become more effective and beneficial in selling real estate at the present time, and it is preferable for brokers to resort to it instead of phone calls.
Al Fahim called for clarifying the mechanism for implementing the decision and a complaints mechanism that consumers can resort to, to confront any attempts to circumvent the decision or not implement it.
• The decision includes a severe fine of up to 150 thousand dirhams for the violator, and the suspension of the activity.
• Companies are required to obtain prior approval to engage in telemarketing activity.
Consumers: Stop the “insistence”… and the first period is “testing the waters”
Consumers confirmed to “Emarat Al Youm” that the implementation of the ministerial decision regarding the regulation of marketing practices via telephone calls will stop the insistence practices practiced by some companies, calling for the implementation of the decision with all firmness, especially in the first period, which is considered a “test of the waters” by companies, to verify the seriousness of the implementation and violations.
Consumer Nada Jaber said that the decision will greatly limit and regulate marketing calls, and help protect consumers from the insistence that some companies practice several times a day, which causes great inconvenience and a continuous violation of privacy.
For his part, consumer Tamer Saeed said: “The decision provides protection for consumers, especially since it includes decisive penalties,” calling for its implementation with all firmness, to deter violators, especially in the first period, which is considered a period of “testing the waters” by companies, to verify the implementation of the decision firmly, noting that the past period witnessed a significant increase in the marketing calls he received.
In the same context, consumer Mazen Abdul Latif said: “We are waiting for the implementation of the decision to regulate telephone marketing in a practical way, and we expect seriousness in imposing fines on violators,” stressing that these measures protect consumers and provide a healthy environment free from telephone disturbance and marketing of services and products, some of which are offered at inappropriate times, or marketed by people in incomprehensible languages.
Companies covered by the decision
The Ministry of Economy, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the Digital Government announced the issuance of a decision regulating marketing via phone calls, in addition to another decision regarding violations and administrative penalties for acts that violate its provisions. Their provisions apply to all licensed companies in the country, including those located in free zones, that market products and services through marketing phone calls made by the company, or one of its employees, to the consumer for the purpose of marketing, advertising or promoting the products or services it provides, or in the name of those it authorizes, via a landline or mobile phone number, including marketing text messages and marketing messages through social media applications.
The Ministry of Economy is responsible for the general supervision of the implementation of these decisions, in coordination with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the Digital Government, the Central Bank, the Securities and Commodities Authority, local licensing authorities and relevant authorities.
