When you say the type rating and IR lapsed earlier this year what do you mean. If it's just a year and a bit since your last JAA OPC i would say no problem. If however it's more than five years since the OPC renewal was due you have a problem.
If you are out of the five years you will have to pass the initial IR flight test again with a board examiner. Let it get to seven years and you have to do the written exams again too. To keep your JAA licence current, you could do this by passing a flight test in a group A aircraft like a piper or cesna. Any training would be to the requirement laid out by the training organisation. You also face the situation that JAA is gone and it's now EASA. They don't even know themselves yet what problems this may cause you.
Last edited by BALLSOUT; 25th May 2012 at 21:03.