Your Complete Guide to Cold Calling & Emailing laws in Europe

Unlock outreach success while staying compliant

Are you seeking a robust approach to cold outreach that respects GDPR and boosts your engagement?

Our comprehensive guide empowers you with the tools and data to make every cold call and email legally secure, relevant, timely, and effective. From robust Sales Intelligence to powerful insights, Dealfront is your partner in driving outreach success across Europe.

General Guidelines for Cold Outreach

Cold calling and emailing across Europe comes down to one golden rule: consent matters. But how consent is defined, and whether a single opt-in or double opt-in is required, changes country by country. In this section, we walk through the fundamentals of GDPR and ePrivacy, explain how opt-in vs. opt-out works, and even touch on why LinkedIn and social selling remain a legal grey zone.

The “Previous Business Context” Exception

Did you know you may not always need a fresh opt-in? Laws such as Germany’s UWG § 7(3) let you contact past customers about similar products or services – provided you clearly offer an opt-out. This section explores when this exception applies, how to use it safely, and why accurate record keeping is crucial.

Country-by-Country Rules Across Europe

Every EU country has its own quirks – some stricter, some more flexible. Austria, for example, expects a double opt-in, while in the UK, B2B contacts can often be approached without prior consent. This part of the guide gives you a structured overview of what’s allowed where, and points you to national Do Not Call (DNC) lists that every sales team should check before dialing.

👉 Download the full guide for the complete country-by-country tables, compliance tips, and more outreach strategies.