Birdlady - It would really help if you got your facts right before bursting into print. The limitation of experience credit to 50% is nothing at all to do with overseas hour-building. The relevant passage in JAR-FCL 1 reads -
In the case of a PPL(A) entrant, 50% of the aeroplane hours flown by the entrant prior to the course may be credited towards the required flight instruction (JAR-FCL 1.165(a)(1) and Appendix 1 to JAR-FCL 1.165(a)(1), paragraph 13) up to a credit of 40 hours flying experience or 45 hours if an aeroplane night flying qualification has been obtained, of which up to 20 hours may be dual instruction. This credit for the hours flown shall be at the discretion of the FTO and entered into the applicant’s training record.
- and relates to all of the integrated courses.
Since, for example, an integrated ATPL course could contain as little as 140 hours total time and 40 hours of dual instruction in the aeroplane, it is absolutely logical to limit the amount of previous experience that can be credited. It does not matter where you gained your previous experience, the above limitation applies.