Microsoft said regulatory wrangling has prompted it to strip Internet Explorer Web browsers from copies of its Windows 7 operating system to be sold in Europe.

Currently, Microsoft plans to release its next-generation operating system worldwide on October 22, but that customers in Europe will have to install Web browsers of their choice.

“We’re committed to making Windows 7 available in Europe at the same time that it launches in the rest of the world, but we also must comply with European competition law as we launch the product,” Microsoft deputy general counsel Dave Heiner said in a written release.

Microsoft had been in with antitrust battle opened by The European Commission, Europe’s top competition watchdog since Janurary 2009.

Microsoft is in accusations of unfairly crushing rivals in the Web browser market.

“Given the pending legal proceeding, we’ve decided that instead of including Internet Explorer in Windows 7 in Europe, we will offer it separately and on an easy-to-install basis to both computer manufacturers and users.”