They always have had a quick route for experenced commercial pilots.
But always the issue has been the differences in the theoretical knowledge requirements. The JAr boys find it a piece of piss to get a FAA and the other way round there is lots of moaning thats its a pain in the arse doing the exams.
To be honest the FAA isn't quite enough theory in my opinion of working with FAA pilots. But then again the JAR stuff is to much and not actually focused to the stuff you really need.
I quite agree with Peter and PAce that alot of it is only included because some auld fud with prostate problems ex navigator thinks that pilots need to know certain things. Then some old guff engineers had an input as well then the WX man got his input etc etc.
But to be fair the longer I fly and to more different destinations the more of it I use.
Its this one set of theory must cover everything from puddle jumpers to ULH airbuses and boeings that needs sorted. But the problems is that the license and IR rating really does allow you to fly worldwide.