An international group of resellers is warning that changes to German copyright laws are likely to mean more expensive PCs.

The controversial law will add a so-called "copyright levy" to IT equipment in order to compensate authors and artists for legal copies made of their work.

The International Technology Channels Association warns that the changes in Germany are out of step with the rest of Europe and will endanger jobs in the channel.

It calls for the German government to rethink the law which is out of proportion to law in other European countries.

ITCA said: "The protection of copyright is important - but it has to be consistent with protection from copyright."