PRESS RELEASE: One year of the new rules for marketing calls: The number of complaints decreases, fines worth almost CZK 5 million were imposed

Prague, 28 June 2023 - On 1 July 2022, new rules for unsolicited marketing calls entered into force. The opt-out principle, where those who were not interested in marketing calls had to actively express their disagreement, has changed to an opt-in principle, where companies need the consent of the called party. This can either be individual to the company or expressed in a public directory. Less than a year after the new rules entered into force, the number of complaints received by the CTU has dropped significantly and several significant fines have been imposed.          

The total number of complaints about unsolicited marketing calls received by CTU since 1 July 2022 is 1,380.CTU has carried out a total of 75 in-depth inspections and imposed fines in total of CZK 195,000 for non-cooperation and CZK 4,920,000 in aggregate for the marketing calls themselves. The two highest non-final fines to date, each of CZK 2,200,000, were imposed on two cooperating companies for repeated unsolicited calls (on the subject of photovoltaics). As of 1 March 2023, we have not recorded any complaints about calls on behalf of the company that initiated the calls, and photovoltaics has ceased to be the dominant topic of unsolicited calls.                                                                                 

Tereza Meravá
spokesperson
Czech Telecommunication Office