The bit I've never quite got my head round ...
In F and G airspace the only requirement on me is 3km visibility, at any height (I've got a UK PPL, not a JAA one), according to my Air Law text book.
However above 3000' VMC minima are 5Km, 1000', 1500m (same text book). The JAA PPL minima appear to match the VMC minima, so "a JAA PPL holder can only fly in VMC" seems to be a reasonable statement here, but the UK PPL minima appear to allow flight in IMC.
So, with my UK PPL and no instrument qualifications I can fly in certain IMC conditions above 3000', at which point I have to follow IFR rules for safety height and quadrantal direction, yes?
(The reason I've never got my head round this is that I've never actually felt any desire to go flying at such a height in such conditions so it's not a practical question.)