Bulgaria and Romania signed accession treaties on membership of the European Union (EU) here Monday, paving the way for the their eventual EU membership in January 2007.

The signing ceremony, held in the famous Neumunster Abbey in Luxembourg city, was attended by EU leaders and Presidents of bothcountries concerned.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Junker told reporters after the ceremony that the event represented "a day of festivity"for both the EU and Bulgaria and Romania.

Under Luxembourg presidency, their accession process reached its natural conclusion, he said, adding that the two countries will become EU full members even if the European constitution is not ratified by all member states.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said that the EU's enlargement process is irreversible.

"The process of EU enlargement towards Central and Eastern Europe represented from its very beginning a historic opportunity to erase artificial dividing lines, strengthen and extend peace and prosperity on our continent," Romanian President Traian Basescu said at the signing ceremony.

The two countries submitted their application for EU membershipin 1995. The accession talks began in 2000 and was concluded in December 2004.

Source: Xinhua