I have just been through this. If you want to fly a MEP airplane under IFR in EASA land you have to renew your IR on a MEP aircraft and have a current MEP Class Rating. I had just completed ( 1 month before the expiry of my MEIR) an EASA Type Rating which includes an IR but it is only applicable for the Aircraft Type.
In this example the MEIR renewal is reduced in terms of excerises you have to undertake but you still have to renew the IR on a MEP aircraft. Hope this makes sense