EU, Britain battle over big extra budget payment

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.