Bulgaria needs to be ready for its EU membership before it becomes fact. The European Commission and EU member states will demand a completion of the reform process, British ambassador to Bulgaria Jeremy Hill said.

Hill said the enlargement process is a significant topic on the EU agenda and sometimes it overshadows other issues, the Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Bulgaria has to become competitive through reforms to succeed on the common European market, Hill said.

Hill also discussed EU priorities and the current state of the union. Some of the major issues it will have to deal with include the European Constitution, Hill said. The negative constitution referenda in France and the Netherlands signify further discussions on the future of the union are needed.

Yesterday Britain became the 12th country to ratify Bulgaria's EU accession treaty. Queen Elizabeth II endorsed the treaty ratified in British Parliament earlier and in this way ended the procedure.