European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans addresses a news conference at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 16, 2016. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The European Union’s door remains open to Britain although the country is likely to continue in its divorce proceedings after voting to leave the bloc a year ago, European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said on Thursday.

When asked at a conference in Prague whether the Commission agreed with French President Macron when he said the door remained open to Britain, Timmmermans said, “By all means.”

“We did not ask the UK to leave, they decided to leave,” he said. “And we are anxious to know how they are going to leave.

“So that’s the process we are in right now and I frankly believe they will continue with that, they will leave, but if at any time they would say hang on, we’ve reconsidered, we’d like to stay, I would receive them with open arms.”