What about a modular IR?
Here's a thought:
Let's propose splitting the IR up into segments. I'll suggest four segments:
(1) Ability to fly in IMC (required by all instrument pilots, say 5 hrs training beyond PPL/CPL)
(2) Basic ability to fly instrument approaches (say 10 hrs training + exam)
(3) Ability to fly airways en-route (say, another 10 hrs training + further exam)
(4) Advanced instrument flying and approaches (perhaps a further 15 hrs training, including multi + either further exam or holding ATPL passes?)
Then we need some names for these. Let's assume that (1) carries no privileges on it's own, but needs to be added onto something else. But then we could go for:
(1) + (2), we could call that the "IMC rating"
(1) + (3), we could call that the "en-route instrument rating"
(1)+(2)+(3) would give a PPL most of the privileges that they're likely to ever want. We could call that something like "PPL/IR"
(1)+(2)+(3)+(4), we could call that the "instrument rating" and require it for all air transport pilots, or anybody wanting to fly category approaches.
Presumably this could be proposed at an EASA level, adopted across Europe for flight in Europe, but only the full IR declared to ICAO and acceptable for commercial air transport.
And let's say we could have a currency check every, oooh, 24 months, regardless of the combination of modules, but with each module assessed separately within the same flight check?
Could this work, and stop everybody getting upset about the current (or proposed) state of affairs concerning instrument flying in Europe?
G