SkyToddler
I think you have misunderstood me. I actually happen to agree with you and was not trying to put down single pilot IFR at all. I am merely playing Devil's Advocate in this case and trying to show my take on the thinking behind the new co-pilot's licence.
I have flown in the States (and hold a FAA CPL/ME IR as well as a JAA CPL. I am also a pilot examiner for the British Parachute Association so do know a little bit about "flying" a plane) and have every respect for their system. You can't buy experience after all. However, the powers that be in JAR Land seem to have decided that a small number of hours of relevant training and a comprehensive course of groundschool is as effective/safe as a large number of hours of varied flying and slightly less theory (although many American pilots do take an Aeronautical Science degree while training for the CPL which is almost certainly more thorough and relevant than our scatter-gun selection of 14 exams loosely based around aviation. The copilot's licence as I see it is merely an attempt at making the present minimum hour to airline syllabus more relevant to airline flying than it currently is. As it stands it is a one size fits all course that doesn't adequately prepare a pilot for either airline flying or GA (in my opinion).
Prior to the "frozen ATPL" our route to the airlines was similar to that in the States: PPL/Instructor/Regional/Airline. I like that and always have. However there is another school of thought and it currently prevails in the JAA airline World. Only time will tell which is safer.