I must say all this seems to me to show a worrying trend. I forsee the following sequence of events in the next few years:
1. EASA RPPL launched. Very popular with recreational pilots, especially 'of a certain age', as the NPPL has been here. Recognised across Europe, so some of the disadvantages of the NPPL are removed, but it's day VFR only.
2. Only a tiny minority of pilots now bother with JAA PPL(A), mostly those going on to an airline career. The IMC rating withers and dies, as foreign states don't recognise it and most recreational pilots now do RPPLs. No-one can afford a PPL/IR anyway.
3. The vast majority of new and affordable planes are microlights or PFA homebuilts. The old training fleet of PA28/C172/PA38/C152s fall apart and are not replaced, because you can train for an RPPL on PFA/microlight types.
4. The PPL(A) is withdrawn, and replaced by 'stage one of the professional career process'. Recreational pilots now have to take an RPPL; career pilots all do integrated courses where the PPL is replaced by 'test 1', and the first actual license awarded is a CPL/IR/multi.
5. And lo and behold, recreational pilots can no longer fly at night, or in IMC.
Am I paranoid?
Tim