Read Tors first two posts. Those posts pretty much sums up the JAA regulations on visual approaches. IFR visual approaches in VMC conditions.
If you get field in sight and you can keep it in sight throughout the approach, and the surrounding terrain is clearly visible, you are basically free to fly "VFR" the shortest way to final.
I'm writing "VFR", because you are still on IFR flightplan, and thus ATC have to treat you as an IFR flight, separation wise.
In my company we are not allowed to fly VFR at all. But if you get the field in sight, you can execute a visual approach from 35 000 feet, if you want to. During darkness visual approaches is company restricted to within 25NM from the AD.