P40, I can only answer your question from a UK perspective, so a lot of what I say may not be that applicable for you based in Germany.
I wouldn't suggest the requirement would be as high as 1500 hours but I would like to see a return to the Pre-JAA 2000, CAA self improver requirement of 700 hours total time to hold a full CPL. So yes there was actually an hour requirement here in the UK before JAA was introduced.
Before JAA was implemented there were two ways to gain a UK CAA CPL and frozen ATPL. Attending a CAP4XX course (which we would now call an Integrated course, cant remember what the number was CAP413?, CAP403?) or the self improver route, the self improver route involved gaining a Basic Commercial Pilots License at 150 hours. This allowed you to be paid to fly single engine aircraft, so on that people did instructors ratings, went para dropping, glider tugging, aerial photography or scenic flights, once 700 hours was obtained the BCPL was upgraded to a CPL. The CAP4 courses were pretty much only the reserve of pre-selected Airline sponsored or part sponsored cadets. Oxford and BAE Flight training (the pre-cursor to FTE) didn't market to private individuals at that point; some people did still self fund through these full time courses but it was a minority.
While some will argue day VFR hour building has little relevance to Airline style flying, I would to an extent agree, but the hours requirement does the following
1) In the US it has created a shortage, consequently First Officer pay and conditions in the Regionals has improved. So that isn't a bad thing.
2) It means pilots get the basic skills engrained (those skills are often the base line core skills that stop people holding an airliner in a stall all the way to the ground)
3) It weeds out those that just want to be airline pilots and have little passion or enthusiasm for flying
4) It creates a buffer in the system
5) It actually ensures you also have a steady stream of instructors to support the training industry.
6) If the hour requirement was applied to all irrespective of the route (modular or integrated) the integrated course would cease to exist.
7) It stops people just buying them-selves into the industry (OK those wealthy enough will just hire the hours, but at least they are still gaining basic level "raw" flying experience).
8) If airlines have to wait for candidates to gain hours then you will see a reduction in the SSTR schemes.
9) All the current instructors will get employed first by the airlines and the twin star zero to heros from CTC will have to actually go and fly something before becoming an A320 operator.
P40, in the UK in the last 12 months there has been a large demand for instructors, in-fact we are even seeing instructor jobs offering salaries not just flight pay. Partly because finally after years of stagnation some instructors are moving to other things. As more candidates seem to be opting for the CTC route for training and / or opting for the SSTR route then there are less frozen ATPLS going into instructing.
Operators charging 8k for Pilatus ratings are also anther thing that has promoted or encouraged people to opt for SSTRs on 737 or A320s; so yes I do sympathise for your predicament.
But while the FAA has introduced the 1500 hour requirement; EASA land has gone the other way, the new MPL route now means new FOs may only have 40 hours of actual flight time.