Maybe we could get out of this contest here by simply asking the question of why the current situation exists in the first place.
If EASA were to compete with the rest of the world in terms of attractiveness of their FCL rather than trying to run a system which has all of GA in decline since ever it saw the light of day as JAR, we would simply not see people voting with their feet.
There is NO reason at all that European exams should be as complex, expensive and impractical as they are, nor does it help flight schools and other FTOs in the long run. Yes, it causes training to be more expensive, but you don't make more money that way because people stay away.
Why does the US still have a florishing flight school industry whereas Europes schools and clubs are fighting for survival?
I can see where Pace and the tens of thousands of FAA licensed pilots are coming from. I can also see Bose and MJ's point of view. I agree with both!
No, we do NOT want students to flock away to the US to do their thing, they should do it right where they are going to fly and they should leave the money they pay at home.
No, I do NOT agree with the presumtion that there should be an unilateral reckognition process in Europe while the US still asks every single European pilot to redo the whole examination process! Either there is MUTUAL reckognition, that is a BASA, or Europe has no reason to accept FAA licenses any more than the FAA accepts theirs.
But again: Personally I see the question asked and the fight fought here is the wrong fight.
Europe needs to become comparable and competitive with the US system so that people will flock back to European schools and into the European system out of their own accord. Yes, that would be feasible but it means a massive change of heart within the Brussels and Köln crowds.
France has realized this and acted accordingly, at least where the IR is concerned. In that regard, it appears that EASA is relenting now as well.
But that is not all. Not by a long run.
If we want to have a thriving industry again here, and not only in training because without GA flying outside of training, the question of FTO's themselves becomes quite pointless, we need a legal system we can work with and which is tailored to each licence steps individual needs rather than the unnecessary ballast we see today. We need maintenance rules which allow the running of an airplane in Europe for the same price or even more economical than keeping and running an N-Reg airplane. We need to improve the way European infrastructure is being treated, get rid of professional hinderers and hasslers.
THAT, guys, would be an improvement everyone here in Europe would profit from and make flags of convenience flying go away by it's own.