The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will serve as the network’s inaugural co-chairs and the US Federal Trade Commission will host the secretariat.

IDNCN has yet to announce an official stance on where calls from MR agencies and pollsters would fit into any agreed global rules. In Canada and the US they are exempt, and in Australia calls from researchers fall outside do-not-call legislation unless “calls or faxes include a commercial-type purpose, even if it is not the primary or sole purpose of the call or fax”.

The network sets out to “facilitate cooperation between agencies that enforce telemarketing rules in their respective countries” and will meet once a year to establish best practices and guidelines.

CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein said: “Enforcement agencies face a common challenge in tracking down individuals and companies who violate telemarketing rules, but operate outside national borders. A global problem calls for global solutions.

Enforcement agencies from Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, the UK and US have signed up.