An IFR flight in the EU may descend below the en-route lowest safe altitude when:
within 25 miles, and descending to a published MSA
Operating under the VFR
conducting an Instrument approach
under Radar vectors, and above the minimum vectoring altitude
established in a published holding procedure, and above the minimum altitude for holding.
I suppose you mean in ground visual contact rather than VFR. We routinely go below MSA/MVA when in ground visual contact....