As bookworm says, the CBM IR is a full IR, just like the current JAA/EASA one (55hrs for ME).
What is perhaps less obvious is that this makes the CBM IR (which is not yet law) politically vulnerable, because currently an FTO bills every punter, no matter how competent, for 55hrs minimum, and most of them then take another k or two off him for the "170A flight test" which
they decide whether he passed it, according to some undocumented criteria.
With the CBM IR, a totally ab initio punter, with zilch instrument experience, will probably still take 50-odd hours to reach the test standard. But many won't, because
- they are good
- they have done tons of FSX time, in a directed manner
- they have had informal instrument training
- they have had instrument training but not with the assigned IR-capable FTO
- they have had the IMC Rating and been flying on that
Currently, none of the above is admissible at all towards the JAA IR. The only thing which you get any credit for is another ICAO IR e.g. the FAA one, as described
here. And extremely few ATP punters will be entering the pipeline with an FAA IR, which is mostly used by private aircraft owners.
So the FTOs are going to be making less money.
So, while I obviously hope for the best, it would be unwise to count your chickens just yet.