"Don't Call Again!" - The End of Nuisance Calls in the UAE?

In a significant, and welcomed, move to protect consumer privacy and enhance the integrity of marketing practices, the UAE government has introduced new regulations governing telephone marketing. Initially published in the Official Gazette on June 28, 2024, the Cabinet Resolution (56 of 2024) Regulating Telemarketing aims to bring about economic and social stability by curbing unsolicited marketing calls, which are regrettably rife in the region. Set to take effect on August 27, 2024, the Resolution outlines clear guidelines and obligations for companies engaged in telemarketing within the UAE, including those operating in free zones.

In the regulations, telemarketing is defined as:-

Phone calls made by a company or a natural person to a Consumer for marketing, advertising or promoting the products or services they provide or on behalf of their representative, through a landline or mobile number, including marketing text messages and marketing messages through social media applications

Objectives of the Resolution (Cabinet Resolution 56)

The primary goals of the Resolution are threefold:

1.          Regulate Telephone Marketing: By establishing a structured framework for telemarketing, the Resolution seeks to maintain economic and social stability. This is achieved by ensuring that companies adhere to specified marketing channels and times for promoting their products or services i.e.


2.          Consumer Comfort and Privacy: The Resolution aims to reduce unwanted marketing phone calls, thereby enhancing consumer comfort and protecting their privacy. By implementing strict guidelines, the regulation ensures that marketing activities do not intrude on consumers' personal space.
Consumers can register their numbers in the Do Not Call Register (DNCR) to avoid cold calls. 

3.          Accountability and Transparency: The Resolution encourages transparency in marketing practices, holding companies accountable for their telemarketing activities and interactions with consumers.
Consumers can file a complaint with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which will investigate and take action actions the company. 

Scope of the Resolution

The Resolution applies to all companies licensed in the UAE, including those situated in free zones, that engage in marketing products or services through phone calls. Importantly, natural persons are prohibited from making marketing phone calls using phone numbers licensed in their names by UAE telecommunications companies. This measure ensures that telemarketing activities are conducted solely by licensed entities, promoting accountability and compliance with regulatory standards.

Obligations for Companies

The Resolution imposes several obligations on licensed companies engaging in telephone marketing:

1.          Obtain Prior Approval: Companies must secure approval from the competent authority to conduct telemarketing activities.


2.          Use Registered Numbers: Companies are required to use local telephone numbers issued by licensed UAE telecommunications companies, registered under their commercial license, to conduct all marketing calls.

3.          Consumer Communication Channels: Establish communication channels for consumers interested in marketing information and ensure calls are only made to these consumers.


4.          Call Controls: Companies must refrain from calling consumers outside the hours between 9am and 6pm, and must not call consumers listed in the DNCR (Do Not Call Register) for marketing purposes.


5.          Record Keeping: Maintain records of all marketing calls in a format specified by the competent authority and retain them for the duration stipulated.


6.          Call Recording and Notification: Record marketing calls and notify consumers at the beginning of the call.


7.          Disclosure of Information Sources: Disclose the source of consumer phone numbers and data upon request from the competent authority.


8.          Training: All marketeers should be properly trained on professional ethics, undue influence, fairness, and on the DNCR. 

Enforcement (Cabinet Resolution 57)

Cabinet Resolution 57 deals with the administrative violations and penalties for acts violating the provisions of Resolution 56. Penalties for businesses and individuals can range between AED5,000 and AED150,000, with penalties increasing exponentially for repeat violations.

Additional sanctions can include any of the following, or a combination of the following:- reprimands, suspension of telemarketing activities, and the cancellation of business licences, depending on the severity and frequency of the violations.

The Resolution will come into effect on August 27, 2024. Companies engaged in telemarketing must take immediate steps to comply with the new regulations, ensuring their practices align with the outlined obligations and standards of transparency, credibility, and integrity.

Alignment with Global Data Privacy Standards

This represents a significant step towards protecting consumer privacy and enhancing the integrity of marketing practices and is welcomed by UAE residents, who have been hounded by unsolicited calls for many years.

These regulations bring the UAE into alignment with global data privacy standards by establishing clear guidelines and obligations. The regulations promote accountability, transparency, and consumer comfort, ultimately contributing to a more stable economic and social environment. It’s important that consumers know their rights so that appropriate action can be taken against non-compliance, and so that TDRA can make an example of repeat offenders.