The visit, Merkel's first to London since Brown succeeded Tony Blair nearly two months ago, will officially focus on international development, and the pair will also take in the international football friendly between England and Germany at the newly-constructed Wembley Stadium.
A spokeswoman for Brown's Downing Street office would not confirm whether or not the treaty, which replaced the doomed EU constitution of 2004, would be a matter for discussion.
Germany held the European Union's rotating presidency earlier this year when the 27-nation bloc agreed on a treaty.
The spokeswoman said that Brown and Merkel will "discuss the key issues facing them both ... The discussions are likely to focus on international development."
"Within that, they are likely to focus on health, which is a very important priority for the prime minister."
The EU treaty is a hot-button issue in euroskeptic Britain, with an ICM poll earlier this week showing that 82 percent of British voters -- including 80 percent of Labour voters -- want a referendum on it.
The opposition Conservative Party's spokesman on Europe Mark Francois told ePolitix.com that Brown should tell Merkel "that public opinion is running so high on the issue of a referendum that he now feels he has to honour his -- and Labour's -- manifesto pledge and grant a referendum on the EU constitution."
There have been voices of dissent from Labour supporters as well -- The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday said that several British trade unions will demand a referendum at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) annual meeting next month.
Citing TUC sources, the paper reported that the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers would also table a motion calling on the TUC to campaign against the treaty in any referendum. - DDNEWS
