Any email sent without the recipient's consent is called Spam or unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE). The rules around consent vary from country to country. In Australia, the Spam Act allows consent to be express or inferred. In the UK the laws are much less stringent.
The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia have developed "The Memorandum of Understanding" a common directive on privacy and electronic communications. It is to be hoped all countries can quickly agree on a global standard.
