Yah, and I'm sure they'll take someone with a JAA licence and stick him directly into the left seat of an aircraft without checking if he has any command time
You are making an erroneous assumption, these are the requirements for an
F/O's position
Total Flight Time in excess of 3,000 hours
Commercial Jet Time in excess of 1, 000 hours
250 hrs. PIC; 100 hrs. PIC Cross Country; 200 hrs. Cross Country;
100 hrs. Night Flight; 75 hrs. Instrument Flight; Required.
Valid ICAO State ATPL
ICAO Level 4 English
Valid Jet Aircraft Command Rating on the ATPL
Valid ICAO State Class 1 Medical Certificate