Well if we are going to go down the path of discussing who has the 'toughest testing' as a way to weed find the best pilots...I personally can't attest to JAA vs FAA....and I am not sure many can, simply put, that unless you took all the FAA ratings, then moved to Europe and they made you take all the written and flight tests all over again for JAA...then NOW we can really compare.
My ATP test started off flying in a twin to an intersection hold using one KX155 NAV to flip back and forth between two VORs for the entry and hold...and doing single engine go arounds...as the examiner stated 'he wanted to separate' the wheat from the chaff..'
Talking to other ATPs...telling me that they flew to their holds watching the little aircraft on the moving map fly to the little hold depicted....certainly told me that having good 'situational awareness' is not a skill the Feds seem to care about anymore..
Either way...in a world of 200 hr FOs being hired to right seat airliners and such...let's not get too worked up about 'how tough the standards are'......
My feeling is this...if you want to find a pilot worth his salt...walk the pilot out to the ramp on a zero zero day....point him to the C172, with one com and and one nav, no gps, and tell him to fly over the hills, shoot that approach, buy some gas, come back....you'd be surprised how many guys won't do that...