Brussels, 07/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - Commenting in a press release on Commission warnings to the Member States projected to breach the 3% limit in the EU's stability pact rules, EP President Pat Cox said "don't blame the referee for applying the rules (…) The Commission has no choice but to issue its warnings, but we know from past experience that those warnings are likely, in the current phase of the economic growth cycle, to fall on deaf ears in some of the larger Member States". He continued "the idea that Europe can prosper without good budget discipline is an illusion". Mr Cox believes that "the stability culture must be based on credible rules which are capable of delivering credible results over a full economic and business cycle". In the longer term, a stability pact with more "subtle rules" will be necessary said Mr Cox, concluding "my prediction is that, after this year, once the Irish Presidency finishes with a very heavy agenda and the Dutch deal with some sensitive issues including Turkey, that you are likely to see a new debate on this. In the meantime people will agree to differ. The patient won't have died by then but it won't be in great shape."