The regulation is daft, as IFR can be flown (in the UK at least) in uncontrolled airspace without a single glance at an instrument. I quite often fly IFR especially when "cloud hooning" above 3,000 ft, which would be illegal VFR.
dobbin1, That statement is so generic and wide ranging that it is very misleading: For a pilot who does not hold an instrument qualification of some sort, IFR flight in the UK is
only possible in non-EASA aircraft.
I certainly don't log IFR time and there is no legal requirement to do so
AMC1 FCL.050 Recording of flight time
GENERAL
(a) The record of the flights flown should contain at least the following information:
(5) Operational conditions, namely if the operation takes place at night, or is conducted under instrument flight rules.
If you want an EASA qualification then you follow the EASA rules.
To fly IFR EASA requires someone to hold an instrument qualification. To gain an instrument qualification EASA require a certain amount of IF (Instrument Time) training and for the Test to also require demonstration of IF competence.
Once an instrument qualification is held EASA don't care about whether the pilot can see out, or not, as they now 'assume' competence in IF flight.