The European Union is proposing new rules to make antitrust authorities in the bloc's member countries more effective.

The EU's executive commission on Wednesday put forward proposals to ensure that national authorities have all the powers they need to gather evidence, such as the right to search cellphones and laptops.

The proposal also envisions antitrust authorities having coordinated leniency programs in an effort to encourage companies to come forward with evidence of illegal cartels. It wants to ensure they can work impartially "without taking instructions from public or private entities."

The proposal requires approval from the European Parliament and from the 28-nation EU's member countries.