EU Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer is calling on European Union leaders to set in motion this year's negotiations over a controversial direct "EU tax" on citizens of the 15-member bloc.

"The biggest opponent will be Britain," Ms Schreyer said. Today, in the German business daily Handelsblatt only Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium are named as firm backers of the move, which proponents say would replace the existing method of national transfers into Brussels coffers.

German finance minister Hans Eichel said last week he was also in favour of an EU tax, as is European Commission president Romano Prodi.