Carl de Souza/AFP via Getty Images British EU diplomats to be recalled to Brussels in 2019 Most EU diplomats with a British passport will get to keep their jobs.

The European Commission and European External Action Service will recall all British diplomats working in EU embassies around the world no later than September 2019, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.

Martin Selmayr, the Commission's secretary-general, and Helga Schmid, who has the same job at the EEAS, wrote to U.K. staff on July 27 to break the news.

Ambassadors and other senior British officials working for the EU will "have to return to Headquarters by 29 March 2019.” More junior staff will be able to time their return to Brussels to coincide with the EEAS' annual staff rotation in September.

The good news for EU diplomats with a British passport is that they'll get to keep their jobs in nearly all cases.

Selmayr and Schmid said they were aware that Brexit has "created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety for our staff with UK nationality."

They said their institutions would "make a generous and transparent use of the exceptions provided by Article 47 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants” — that's the article allowing them to terminate the contracts of staff who cease to be citizens of an EU member country.

Selmayr and Schmidt wrote that "in specific cases such as conflicts of interests or because of international obligations," British staff may be let go.

As expected, temporary and contract staff in EU embassies will lose their jobs if they have only British nationality. Likewise, U.K. nationals will no longer be recruited to EU embassies.

The new policy clarifies a position first outlined by European commissioner for human resources Günther Oettinger in January, and later by all commissioners in March.