Perhaps EASA will agree but change the wording to something along the lines of "VFR flights at night will also comply with the IFR rules".
Even better news for FAA licence holders. This would allow FAA holders to fly at night without any ambiguity....and use their IFR privileges OCAS at night.
But removing the IMCr will damage UK flight training even more than it has been already. In the past I have flown with instructors and climbed "on top". These instructors normally have lapsed IR's and are using IMCr privileges - it seems common for a new instructor to get the IR then let it lapse until they get an offer for the RHS of a Boeing. This will effectively end now....
Stats in the USA PROVE that IR'd pilots are less likely to kill themselves. That is why the FAA REDUCED IR minimum requirements some time ago (as in total time etc...) to allow more people to get an instrument qualification. The IMCr is an instrument qualification and the result should be the same. I don't see scores of people flocking to do a JAR IR any time soon, just because the IMCr goes. You'll have people illegally exercising their IMC skills, and gradually over thime these skills will erode (dt no revalidations etc..) and eventually the accident rate will go up......Anyone who is an AOPA US member can search the accident db via their website and compare IR and non IR accidents.