EU presents plans to overcome investment hurdles hampering competitiveness

The European Commission proposed measures on Thursday to make the European Union’s capital markets more competitive by easing cross-border operations and giving broader oversight to the European Securities and Markets Authority.

The 27-nation EU is struggling to compete economically with the United States, China and other rivals, but could boost its competitiveness by bolstering its single market, which functions well for the exchange of goods but less well for services.

Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta...