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Jill Johnstone, NCC director of policy, told the Creative Economy conference in London that the Commission is planning to tighten IP laws, possibly introducing criminal sanctions for copyright infringement.

'The European Commission must think again before bringing in new and tougher IP laws,' she said. 'Criminal sanctions for infringing copyright holders' rights must be applied only to organised crime - not to individual citizens making use of new technologies. Any new laws must be very clear on this point and must strike a balance between right holders' interests in getting a fair return and the public and consumer interests of fair access and use, and the encouragement of innovation.'

She added that the 2004 Directive on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights is barely one year old and there has been no chance to assess its impact.

The NCC has written to UK government ministers and MEPs and will be mounting a joint campaign with other EU consumer organisations later this year.