EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker reassures British staff over their jobs

EU civil service jobs are restricted to EU citizens and Britons will lose that status once UK has completed its departure

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has reassured Britons working for the EU executive that their jobs are not at risk following Britain's vote to leave the European Union, an EU official said on Friday.

EU civil service jobs are generally restricted to EU citizens and Britons will lose that status once their country has completed its departure. Juncker sent a mail to staff saying that people would not be forced out.

Senior officials have said they may leave the EU service, however, since career moves into the higher grades in Brussels requires political patronage from EU member governments.

'No' beginning of end of EU, says Juncker

Juncker insisted on Friday that Britain's decision to leave the EU was not the beginning of the end for the bloc.

Answering that question from a reporter at a packed news conference in the EU executive's Brussels headquarters, Juncker replied simply, "No." That drew applause from EU officials in the room as Juncker left after taking just two questions.