Britain will not pay "anything like" the £1.7 billion which is being demanded by the European Commission in additional contributions to the EU budget, Prime Minister David Cameron has told MPs.
But the Prime Minister was accused of being "asleep at the wheel" by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who said Mr Cameron should have been aware for at least two years that changes to Britain's contribution to the EU budget were in the offing.
Britain is facing an extra £1.7 billion bill towards the EU budget.
The shock demand - which would add almost a fifth to the UK's annual contribution of £8.6 billion - is intended to reflect improvements to Britain's economy since the figures were last calculated.
Preliminary figures seen by the Financial Times suggest Britain is facing by far the biggest top-up.
By contrast, Germany receives a rebate of 779m euro, France 1bn and Poland 316m.
Today's trip to Berlin should be a moment to savour for the Chancellor, but it is the £1.7 billion EU bill that is on everyone's minds.
George Osborne has told ITV News it is "not acceptable" for the EU to spring a £1.7 billion bill on Britain without any warning.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage has told ITV's The Agenda Britain should tell the European Union to "get stuffed" over the £1.7 billion bill.