Any aviataion training system acts as a filter to remove the less able candidate. The RAF filter in the selection process and then at every stage of training, after all they are using tax payers money.
In the US filtering occurs at the commuter level, pilots reaching the airlines have considerable numbers of hours. You will not get into a US airline with 200 hours.
In Europe the training system is designed to produce a 200 hour pilot who can go into the right hand seat of an airliner. The filter is therefore more academic and based upon a more comprehensive examination system. We do not have many commuter airlines to act as a training ground.
There is no deliberate attempt to keep non-Europeans out of the system. A European committee consisting of predominently airline pilots has laid down a set of minima in JAR-FCL, any country is free to join and contribute to the system. The FAA do not consider the JAA groundschool requirements to be necessary, their system is designed for a different purpose. If you meet the JAA requirements you get a JAA licence, if you have a foreign ATPL with 3000 hours you can convert easily.
Of course there are many pilots who want a licence for nothing, I doubt that many passengers would share their viewpoint. If you think £50,000 is expensive to gain a professional qualification, try becoming a dentist.