Separation of software and hardware makes complete sense and it should be done on a wider scale than just the EU.

1. Nowadays software makers are smart enough and the development tools are sophisticated enough to make software available for various operating systems, e.g. virtual PCs can be used for testing.
2. Levels the playing field for the competition in the operating system arena. Imagine you had to race against an incumbent, would you want only your incumbent's name to be on the ballot?
3. Hardware is hardware and shouldn't be bound to a specific software, i.e. windows. Just as there are plenty of processors to choose from and many video graphics cards, so should there be plenty of choice in deciding what operating system to run right at the time of buying the computer.

Thanks for reading.