and if we can lean on the CAA hard enough
I don't think leaning on the CAA will have the slightest effect. This is a European Law issue and we need to lean on our Euro MPs to stop this non ICAO non Safety Regulation becoming EC Law on 8 April 2012.
EASA are totally arrogant, they have ignored the EC deputy directors instruction to go back to the drawing board and stick to putting ICAO and JAA requirements into EC Law. Additionally they actually propose to eliminate the NPA process of debating change!