The European Commission proposal to end the quota regime for sugar in 2015 is being supported by Labour MEP for Munster, Phil Prendergast.
This is in response to reports of heavy lobbying from sugar producers in favour of MEP Michel Dantin's proposal to retain the current system until September 2020.
The Tipperary-based MEP said Mr Dantin's proposal to continue with sugar quotas is designed to serve the interests of the three big sugar producing countries – France, Spain and Germany.
According to Phil Prendergast the system was designed to protect the price of sugar against market volatility with a reference price of around €400 a tonne.
However, she said, sugar prices are now around €700 a tonne, so something obviously needs to change.