Actually a friend of mine just started with a U.S. FAA certificate. He is on a two year contract, I believe, and the validation was done in Ireland. He has the right to live and work in the EU but I'm not sure that mattered as it is contract. If you go with a U.S. certificate, it can't have that ridiculus circle to land limitation. My friend had to go have it removed by doing an FAA checkride.
Typhoonpilot