03/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - As part of the preparations for the next informal Ecofin Council on 22/23 September in Liège, Commissioner Michaele Schreyer will be meeting the Belgian Finance Minister, Didier Reynders this Friday to discuss the issue of direct funding by taxation of part of the EU's budget. This issue was the subject of a public debate between Ministers at the Ecofin Council on 10 July 2001 on the priorities of the Belgian Presidency (see EUROPE of 11 July, p.5).