What is with the Brits always looking for an 'easy' way of doing things.......... If there was a straight road between point A and B the Brits would find the detour.
Or how about have an IMCR and go and do an EASA IR?
Rather than going through what is a vastly convoluted detour to achieve the same thing? We are only talking about losing 15 hrs for gods sake. I have done that in the last week.
There will never be a straight 'swap' you will have to meet an national requirements wherever you. I just did the same in Canada, I had to take the exams and the flight test. It is the same the world over.
The IMCR training does not count for squat in the global scheme of things. I refer you back to my previous comments on average poor standard of IMC training. It's the reason we have no support for the rating in Europe!
Going the FAA route to come back to the JAA route just reinforces the view the Europeans have. You do yourselves no favours.....