Britain's top Brexit official says European Union citizens will remain free to settle in the U.K for about two years after the country leaves the bloc in 2019.

Brexit Secretary David Davis says that during a transition period, Britain will abide "to a very large extent" by the EU's rules. That means freedom of movement will continue, although EU citizens will have to register with authorities in Britain.

Davis told Parliament's Exiting the EU Committee Wednesday that the 3 million EU citizens living in Britain will be able to "continue their lives as they are now" after Brexit.

Davis says he expects Britain and the EU to finalize terms of the transition period by the end of March, and cement a deal on future relations before Britain leaves in March 2019.