> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.botbrains.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# AI Cold Calling Laws in Belgium
> Is AI cold calling legal in Belgium? Art. VI.110 CDE requires consent for automated B2B and B2C calls. Ne m'appelez plus list, call recording, AI disclosure.
export const reviewed_0 = "October 2026"
In Belgium, an AI agent may only make marketing calls to people and businesses who agreed to automated calls beforehand. Article VI.110 §1 of the Code of Economic Law (CDE) requires prior consent for automated marketing calls, and it protects consumers and companies alike. The opt-out rules and the Ne m'appelez plus list only cover calls that a human makes. Service calls, requested callbacks, and inbound calls are fine with the right disclosures.
This page summarizes the law as of {reviewed_0} to help you plan AI phone calls. It isn't legal advice. Laws and how regulators apply them change, so check your use case with a lawyer before you start a campaign.
## At a glance
| Call | To consumers (B2C) | To businesses (B2B) |
| - | - | - |
| Inbound service call | Allowed. Disclose the AI and the recording. | Allowed. Disclose the AI and the recording. |
| Outbound service call | Allowed. Leave out any sales content. | Allowed. Leave out any sales content. |
| Marketing callback the person asked for | Allowed. The request must cover a call by an AI agent. Keep proof. | Allowed. The request must cover a call by an AI agent. Keep proof. |
| Marketing call by an AI agent | Consent required. You need a prior opt-in to automated calls. Belgium has no soft opt-in for calls, so this includes existing customers. | Consent required. The rule has no B2B exception and no exception for existing customers. |
| Marketing call by a human | Allowed unless registered. Screen the list and respect objections. | Allowed unless registered. The list covers business numbers too. |
## Is AI cold calling legal in Belgium?
Only with prior consent. [Art. VI.110 §1 CDE](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2013/02/28/2013A11134/justel#Art.VI.110) transposes Article 13(1) of the ePrivacy Directive:
> « L'utilisation de systèmes automatisés d'appel sans intervention humaine et de télécopieurs à des fins de prospection directe est interdite sans le consentement préalable, libre, spécifique et informé du destinataire des messages. »
In English: you may only use automated calling systems without human intervention for direct marketing if the recipient gave prior, free, specific, and informed consent. People can withdraw it at any time, and you carry the burden of proof.
**It covers businesses.** The text protects any recipient, and the [FPS Economy](https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/ventes/publicite/communications-non-souhaitees) applies it to natural and legal persons. The legal-person exception in the Royal Decree of April 4, 2003 only covers electronic mail to impersonal addresses, not calls.
**Treat AI agents as automated.** No Belgian regulator or court has ruled on conversational AI yet. The rule targets calls without a human, and the data protection authority (APD/GBA) contrasts it with calls "with human intervention" ([Opinion 02/2026](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/avis-n0-02-2026.pdf)). An AI agent that runs the conversation alone fits that description. A human who only monitors the call or could take over doesn't change it.
**Legitimate interest doesn't help.** Where Article VI.110 §1 requires consent, you can't rely on another GDPR basis ([APD Recommendation 01/2026](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/recommandation-01-2025-relative-aux-traitements-de-donnees-a-caractere-personnel-dans-le-cadre-du-marketing-direct.pdf), Annex 1).
## Cold calls by a human
A human may call for direct marketing unless the subscriber objected (Art. VI.110 §2 CDE). You must check the Ne m'appelez plus list before each call (Art. VI.112). According to the [FPS Economy guidelines](https://economie.fgov.be/sites/default/files/Files/Entreprises/Guidelines-relatives-au-marketing-direct-par-telephone.pdf), this protects every Belgian subscriber: consumers, companies, and non-profits.
The GDPR also applies to named contacts at companies and to sole traders. Before the pitch, say who you are, why you call, where you got the number, and that the person can object (APD Recommendation 01/2026, Annex 2).
## Existing customers and callback requests
**Existing customers.** The soft opt-in in the Royal Decree of April 4, 2003 covers electronic mail such as email and SMS, not calls. An AI agent needs consent to call your customers with offers. A human may call them unless they objected or registered on the list. If a registered customer later agrees to your calls, the later consent wins.
**Callback requests.** A callback request is consent when it says that an AI agent from your company will call, and about what. Store the form version, the timestamp, and the phone number.
**Calls for a partner.** Consent should name the company the call is for. Both the caller and that company carry the burden of proof (Art. VI.113 CDE).
## Do-not-call register: Ne m'appelez plus
| Item | Details |
| - | - |
| Name | Ne m'appelez plus! in French, Bel-me-niet-meer in Dutch |
| Website | [donotcallme.be](https://www.donotcallme.be/en) |
| Run by | The non-profit DNCM vzw, approved under Art. VI.114 CDE. People register by phone through the operators' central number database. |
| Covers | Landlines and mobiles of consumers and companies. Registrations take effect after about five working days and don't expire. |
| Screening | Before every campaign. The law requires a check before each marketing call. |
| Fees | From EUR 60 for one month to EUR 1,950 a year excluding VAT, depending on organization type and size ([DNCM FAQ](https://www.donotcallme.be/en/faq)). |
| With consent | Still screen. A registration overrides consent given before it. |
The 2025 federal coalition agreement plans an opt-in system for telemarketing, modeled on the Netherlands. The Chamber rejected one opt-in bill on May 13, 2026. A second bill, which would replace the list with opt-in for calls to natural persons, is still pending. As of October 2026, the opt-out rules for calls by a human still apply.
## Consent for AI calls
| Requirement | What it means |
| - | - |
| Specific and informed | Name your company and the purpose, and say that an AI agent will call. Consent to emails doesn't cover calls (APD Recommendation 01/2020). |
| Active | An unticked checkbox or a clear spoken yes. Record oral consent with notice, or confirm it in writing. |
| Proof | Keep the consent text, form version, URL, timestamp, and phone number. |
| Retention and expiry | The CDE sets neither. Keep proof for as long as you call on that consent. |
| Purchased lists | Ask the vendor in writing how, when, and with which text it collected consent, and check samples. A contract clause alone isn't enough (APD Recommendation 01/2026). |
| Withdrawal | As easy as giving consent. Stop calling right away. |
Don't use an AI call to ask for consent. That call is likely marketing itself, and the APD wants such calls banned ([Opinion 23/2025](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/avis-n0-23-2025.pdf)). botBrains asks for consent evidence before automated campaigns, see [before you start outbound campaigns](/concepts/phone/countries#before-you-start-outbound-campaigns).
## Tell callers they're talking to an AI
Since August 2, 2026, [Article 50 of the EU AI Act](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401689#art_50) requires that people know they're talking to an AI system, at the latest when the conversation starts. This applies to inbound and outbound calls, to consumers and to business contacts, and you can't count on the exception for obvious cases when your AI agent sounds human. The [default introduction](/concepts/phone#introductions) already says that your AI agent is an AI, so keep that statement first when you edit it. When you call a consumer to sell something, the [Consumer Rights Directive](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/83/oj/eng) also requires you to name your company, anyone you call for, and the commercial purpose at the start.
Belgian law adds these duties:
| Rule | Applies to | What to say |
| - | - | - |
| Art. VI.46 §5 CDE | Calls to consumers to close a sale | Your identity, the company you call for, and the commercial purpose, at the start |
| Art. VI.110 §4 CDE | Marketing calls by a human | Never hide the company behind the call |
| GDPR Arts. 13, 14, and 21 | Every call that uses personal data | Who you are, the purpose, the data source, and the right to object |
Recommended introductions for an outbound callback after a web request:
```text French theme={null}
Bonjour, ici {agent_name}, l'agent IA de {project_name}. Je vous rappelle suite à votre demande sur notre site web. Cet appel est enregistré. Appuyez à tout moment sur la touche étoile pour vous y opposer. Si vous ne souhaitez plus être appelé, dites-le simplement et nous ne vous rappellerons plus.
```
```text Dutch theme={null}
Goedendag, u spreekt met {agent_name}, de AI-agent van {project_name}. Ik bel u terug op uw aanvraag via onze website. Dit gesprek wordt opgenomen. Druk op elk moment op de sterretoets als u daar bezwaar tegen hebt. Wilt u niet meer gebeld worden? Zeg het gerust, dan bellen we u niet meer.
```
```text German theme={null}
Guten Tag, hier spricht {agent_name}, der KI-Agent von {project_name}. Ich rufe Sie wegen Ihrer Rückrufanfrage auf unserer Website an. Dieses Gespräch wird aufgezeichnet. Drücken Sie jederzeit die Stern-Taste, um dem zu widersprechen. Wenn Sie keine weiteren Anrufe wünschen, sagen Sie es einfach, dann rufen wir Sie nicht mehr an.
```
Use [guidance](/concepts/guidance) to tell the agent how to handle requests to stop calling, and a [Unitool](/concepts/unitools) to write the objection to your CRM.
## Call recording
**Criminal law allows one-party recording.** The Criminal Code 2024 replaced the old code, including its Art. 314bis, on September 1, 2026. Its [Art. 342](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024A02052/justel) punishes recording communications "auxquelles on ne prend pas part" without the consent of all participants. You take part in your own calls, so you may record them. Art. 124 of the Law of June 13, 2005 bars outsiders from accessing calls in the same way.
**The GDPR needs a basis and a notice.** Use a lawful basis such as legitimate interest for quality and proof, announce the recording at the start, and offer an easy way to object. botBrains stops and discards the recording when the caller presses the star key. The transcript stays. A recording only counts as biometric data if you use it to identify people by their voice.
## Caller ID and calling hours
We found no Belgian rule that requires a specific caller ID for telemarketing. The APD treats hiding your identity, so that people can't call back, as a transparency breach. Your AI agent shows your botBrains number, and botBrains provides Belgian numbers on request.
We found no general law on calling hours, but some sectors set them:
| Sector | Hours |
| - | - |
| Energy, consumers | Not before 9:00 or after 20:00 (energy consumer agreement) |
| Energy, SMEs | Not before 8:00 or after 20:00, unless the SME agrees (SME code of conduct) |
| Debt collection agencies | No calls between 22:00 and 8:00 (Art. XIX.11 CDE) |
botBrains doesn't enforce calling hours or screen lists, so plan both yourself.
## Sector rules
| Sector | Rule |
| - | - |
| Electricity and gas | A consumer contract made by phone only binds once the consumer signs or confirms on a durable medium (Art. VI.46 §6/1 CDE). The [energy consumer agreement](https://economie.fgov.be/sites/default/files/Files/Energy/accord-electricity-fr.pdf) requires naming the supplier, any call center, the person calling, and the commercial purpose at the start. Agree with the supplier how an AI agent meets the "person calling" point. |
| Services and regular deliveries | The same written confirmation applies when you start the sale with a consumer who isn't your customer yet (Art. VI.46 §6/1 CDE). |
| Consumer credit | Prohibited. Art. VII.67 CDE bans canvassing, including approaching a consumer to propose a visit. |
| Debt collection | Agencies must register with the FPS Economy and respect the calling hours above (Arts. XIX.6 and XIX.11 CDE). |
## Fines and enforcement
| Regulator | Scope | Maximum |
| - | - | - |
| FPS Economy, Economic Inspection | Arts. VI.110 to VI.115 CDE | EUR 100,000 including surcharges, or 4% of annual turnover if higher |
| APD/GBA | GDPR | EUR 20 million or 4% of worldwide turnover, whichever is higher |
| AI Act market surveillance authority | AI disclosure | EUR 15 million or 3% of worldwide turnover, whichever is higher |
The Economic Inspection can warn, settle, fine, or refer a case to the prosecutor. Enforcement has been light: from 2021 to 2023 it issued 4 warnings and 40 official reports (bill DOC 56 0559/001). We found no Belgian case against AI calls or robocalls.
## Sources
* Code of Economic Law, Arts. VI.46, VI.110 to VI.115, VII.67, XIX.6, XIX.11, XV.70, XV.83: [Justel](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2013/02/28/2013A11134/justel)
* Royal Decree of April 4, 2003 on advertising by electronic mail, Art. 1: [Justel](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/arrete/2003/04/04/2003011238/justel)
* Law of June 13, 2005 on electronic communications, Arts. 2, 106/2, 124, 125: [Justel](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2005/06/13/2005011238/justel)
* Criminal Code 2024, Arts. 342 to 344: [Justel](https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/loi/2024/02/29/2024A02052/justel)
* ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC, Art. 13: [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/58/oj)
* GDPR, Arts. 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 21, 83: [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)
* EU AI Act, Arts. 50 and 99: [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj)
* FPS Economy, unwanted communications: [economie.fgov.be](https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/ventes/publicite/communications-non-souhaitees)
* FPS Economy, guidelines on telephone direct marketing (February 2026): [PDF](https://economie.fgov.be/sites/default/files/Files/Entreprises/Guidelines-relatives-au-marketing-direct-par-telephone.pdf)
* FPS Economy, energy consumer agreement: [PDF](https://economie.fgov.be/sites/default/files/Files/Energy/accord-electricity-fr.pdf) and SME code of conduct: [PDF](https://economie.fgov.be/sites/default/files/Files/Energy/code-de-conduite-pme-energie.pdf)
* APD/GBA, Recommendation 01/2026 on direct marketing: [PDF](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/recommandation-01-2025-relative-aux-traitements-de-donnees-a-caractere-personnel-dans-le-cadre-du-marketing-direct.pdf)
* APD/GBA, Recommendation 01/2020 on direct marketing: [PDF](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/recommandation-n-01-2020.pdf)
* APD/GBA, Opinions 23/2025 and 02/2026 on the opt-in bills: [23/2025](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/avis-n0-23-2025.pdf), [02/2026](https://www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/publications/avis-n0-02-2026.pdf)
* Chamber of Representatives, DOC 56 1081/004 (rejected opt-in bill) and DOC 56 0559/001 (pending opt-in bill): [1081/004](https://www.lachambre.be/FLWB/PDF/56/1081/56K1081004.pdf), [0559/001](https://www.lachambre.be/FLWB/PDF/56/0559/56K0559001.pdf)
* DNCM vzw: [donotcallme.be](https://www.donotcallme.be/en) and [FAQ](https://www.donotcallme.be/en/faq)
## Next steps
Set up your phone line, introductions, and outbound calls.
Compare consent rules for AI calls across the EU, the UK, and the US.
This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.