Been doing some digging on the role of AOPA relating to JAR-FCL and the PPL...
"Many people misguidedly think AOPA proposed the harmonisation of pilot training and licensing in Europe, i.e. JAR-FCL. In 1987, the late Ron Campbell, then Chairman of AOPA and Technical Co-ordinator of the European Region of IAOPA, proposed to the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) Technical Committee for 'Mutual Recognition of Flight Crew Licenses between member states of the European Community'. This was before the EEC directive on mutual acceptance. After the introduction of the EU Directive (1991) the idea was introduced for the harmonisation of pilot training and licensing in Europe and in 1993 the JAA took over the work from ECAC and its Flight Crew Licensing Committee (FCL-C) began the work which has led to JAR-FCL. This project would have gone ahead, had AOPA been involved or not. The major advantage of the IAOPA's presence was that many onerous, complex and expensive requirements were eliminated or reduced through its continued efforts on behalf of GA at the Committee meetings." (From an editor's note to a letter published in the Spring 2001 Light Aviation AOPA mag).
"...in 1996, AOPA had proposed to the CAA, unsuccessfully as it turned out, a simpler private license along the lines of the NPPL that is currently being developed, having already recognised the difficulties that the JAA license was likely to present. Thus, it is inapropriate to blame the shortcomings of JAR-FCL on AOPA. In fact, it was the various national authorities who were responsible for introducing the PPL into JAR-FCL when it was realised that the PPL formed the basis for the modular route to a professional pilot license." (Letter from the AOPA UK Chairman published in Pilot magazine Sept 2001).
On what basis do people think that AOPA was responsible for having the PPL included in JAR-FCL?
BTW. Don't know where the membership fee of £102 came from. Sounds like 2 years. Annual fee for 2001 is £51. There's also a £15 joining fee (waived if joining on-line). They do operate a fixed membership year, so to join now will cost less.