...as many Member States felt that there is a need for flexibility in order to take into account local conditions, such as geography or typical weather.
Strange, though, that the same logic wasn't applied to the IMC rating?
The quote is explicitly allowed for under the provisions of JAR-FCL 1.175(b); however, that has not been taken into part-FCL. Had it been, all the argument about the UK IMCR would have been unnecessary.