BRUSSELS (AP) – Britain is steadfast in its refusal to pay an extra 2.1 billion euros ($2.7 billion) to the European Union budget by next month, setting up a clash with EU officials at a meeting Friday.
British Treasury chief George Osborne said before the gathering of EU finance ministers that the demand remained “unacceptable.”
A recalculation of EU budget contributions has seen Britain’s share grow this year. But the scale of the increase was a surprise.
The standoff comes at a time of growing political pressure in Britain for the country to leave the EU.
EU presidency officials said they were looking for a creative past the impasse. They spoke on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing.