In brief
- Calls with a person on the line: allowed without prior consent unless the subscriber objects (Art. VI.110(2) of the Code of Economic Law).
- Do Not Call Me: you may not call numbers on the list and must check beforehand (Art. VI.112). According to DNCM this also applies to B2B.
- Robocalls, fax and text messages: only with prior consent.
- This article is general information, not legal advice. Sources retrieved on 4 November 2026.
What the Code of Economic Law says about telephone marketing
Book VI of Belgium’s Code of Economic Law (WER/CDE) contains the rules for marketing by phone. Two paragraphs of Article VI.110 matter most for B2B sales:
- Paragraph 1: automated calling systems without human intervention and faxes for direct marketing are only allowed with the subscriber’s prior consent.
- Paragraph 2 (version in force since 29 February 2024): other telephone communication for direct marketing is allowed as long as the subscriber has not clearly objected and the caller complies with Articles VI.111 to VI.115.
Calling businesses is therefore an opt-out channel in Belgium, unlike email and text messages. The main tool of that opt-out system is the Do Not Call Me list.
The Do Not Call Me list
Article VI.112 prohibits calling numbers on the “Bel me niet meer!” list for direct marketing and requires the caller to check beforehand. The list is managed by DNCM (Do Not Call Me), in French “Ne m’appelez plus”.
A question that comes up in every B2B campaign: does the list apply to business numbers? The DNCM FAQ answers that explicitly with yes, because the rules apply to all telephone subscribers, both B2C and B2B. The number of a company or a self-employed person can therefore be on the list.
Licence and rates
To use the list, the caller takes out a licence with DNCM. According to the DNCM FAQ, retrieved on 4 November 2026, the following annual rates apply, excluding VAT:
You can scroll the table sideways.
| Who | Licence |
|---|---|
| Advertiser with more than 250 employees | €1,950 per year |
| Advertiser with up to 250 employees | €600 per year or €60 per month |
| Service provider (e.g. call centre) for third parties | €1,350 or €550 per year (conditions in the FAQ) |
The list itself may not be resold. According to the same FAQ, breaches can lead to fines of up to €80,000.
What this means for a phone list of businesses
A list of business numbers can be used for telephone prospecting in Belgium, provided the caller matches the numbers against the Do Not Call Me list beforehand and respects objections. That duty lies with whoever calls or has calls made, not with the data supplier.
In concrete terms at basedecontacts.be: the phone numbers in our export are publicly listed business numbers from the source, in international format (+32 …). They have not been matched against the Do Not Call Me list; we cannot and may not do that on your behalf. You therefore need your own licence and match the list yourself before every campaign. The export and sample file page shows how the file is structured; prices per industry are in the price list.
If you prefer not to call, you can use the same list for an addressed postal mailing or to enrich a CRM.
The channels at a glance
You can scroll the table sideways.
| Channel | Rule | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Call with a person on the line | allowed unless the subscriber objects; do not call numbers on Do Not Call Me | Art. VI.110(2) and VI.112 |
| Automated call without human intervention | prior consent | Art. VI.110(1) |
| Fax | prior consent | Art. VI.110(1) |
| Text message and email | consent; exception for impersonal email addresses of legal entities | Art. XII.13 and Royal Decree of 4 April 2003 |
Checklist for a call campaign to businesses
- Take out a licence with DNCM in the name of the business that calls or has calls made.
- Match every list against the Do Not Call Me list beforehand and do not call registered numbers.
- Keep your own list of businesses that say during a call that they do not want to be called again, and respect that objection.
- Do not use robocalls or fax without prior consent.
- Make clear at the start of the call who is calling and why.
- If you call sole traders or named contact persons, you are processing personal data: make sure you have a legal basis and inform them under the GDPR.
- If in doubt, have your approach reviewed by a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Do Not Call Me list also apply to calls to businesses?
Yes. According to the FAQ of DNCM, which manages the list, the telemarketing rules apply to all telephone subscribers, so to both B2C and B2B campaigns. A business number can be on the list too.
Do I need consent to call a business?
Not for an ordinary call with a person on the line: Article VI.110(2) of the Code of Economic Law allows it as long as the subscriber has not clearly objected and you comply with Articles VI.111 to VI.115. You may not call numbers on the Do Not Call Me list. Automated calls without human intervention and faxes do require prior consent (paragraph 1).
Who pays for the licence to use the list?
The business that calls or has calls made. The list may not be resold, so a data supplier cannot deliver your list “pre-cleaned” on your behalf. The rates are in the DNCM FAQ.
Can I send a text message instead of calling?
Text messages fall under the rules for electronic mail: marketing only with prior consent. See also our article on B2B email and the Royal Decree of 4 April 2003.
As of 4 November 2026. Text of the Code of Economic Law from ejustice.just.fgov.be and the DNCM FAQ (donotcallme.be), both retrieved on the same day. This article is general information, not legal advice.
