EU officials say the UK must start the process to leave the bloc as soon as possible
"In a free and democratic process, the British people have expressed their wish to leave the European Union. We regret this decision but respect it.
"We now expect the United Kingdom government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty," the statement by EU Council President Donald Dusk, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, said.
The UK voted in a referendum on Thursday to leave the European Union. Since the results were announced early on Friday morning, Prime Minister David Cameron resigned, the pound fell to its lowest level in over 30 years and Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a new referendum on its independence from the UK was "highly likely."
After he read the brief statement to reporters on Friday, Juncker insisted that Britain's decision to leave the EU was not the beginning of the end for the bloc. He answered the question asked by a reporter with a simple "No" before leaving the room under applause from EU officials.
The statement by EU officials also stressed that, while the situation was unprecedented, the EU has "rules to deal with this in an orderly way. Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union sets out the procedure to be followed if a Member State decides to leave the European Union. We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the United Kingdom regarding the terms and conditions of its withdrawal from the European Union."
They promised a united and strong response to this challenge from the 27 Member States and said they hoped to keep the United Kingdom as a close partner.
Juncker also reassured Britons working for the EU that they would not be forced out of their jobs, which are generally restricted to EU citizens, a status Brits will lose following the end of the negotiations.