(1)

The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is an insect native to sub-Saharan Africa, which has spread worldwide in recent decades and is capable of multiplying rapidly in the presence, in particular, of bee brood, pollen and honey in honeycomb. Adult specimens can fly up to several kilometres to invade other places. Infestation with small hive beetle is listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2016/429, as amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/1629 (2), and in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882 (3).

(2)

The small hive beetle is largely absent from the Union, but infestations have occurred in the Region of Calabria and in the Region of Sicily in Italy since September 2014. Commission Implementing Decision 2014/909/EU (4) has laid down certain animal health protection measures with regard to confirmed infestations of the small hive beetle in Italy. Currently both the Region of Calabria and the Region of Sicily are listed in the Annex to that Implementing Decision as areas subject to those protective measures. That Implementing Decision is applicable until 21 April 2021.

(3)

The central competent authority of Italy has recently submitted information to the Commission showing that infestation with small hive beetle continues to occur in the Region of Calabria in apiaries, in beehives placed and managed by the local competent authority to investigate the situation, and in feral honeybees. In confirmed cases of infestation, the affected apiaries or beehives were destroyed. The local competent authority set a protection zone in that Region and banned the movement of honeybees and certain other commodities from that Region. However, the local competent authority was not able to eradicate the small hive beetle. The spread of the small hive beetle from the affected area in Italy could constitute a serious hazard to honeybees and bumble bees elsewhere in the Union.

(4)

The information submitted to the Commission by the central competent authority of Italy also showed that since September 2014, only two confirmed cases of infestations with small hive beetle occurred in the Region of Sicily in apiaries and both were eradicated. In particular, that competent authority established that the second infestation, in June 2019 was the result of an illegal movement by a beekeeper of stolen beehives from the Region of Calabria, and that that infestation was promptly detected, investigated and eradicated by the local competent authority. Official data gathered by the central competent authority from the local competent authorities after implementing appropriate and representative official surveillance measures, including the use of sentinel beehives over several years, confirm the absence of small hive beetle from the Region of Sicily since September 2014, except for the June 2019 infestation. Therefore, in February 2020 the local competent authority lifted the protection zone it set in that Region pursuant to the confirmed case in June 2019.

(5)

In order to prevent any unnecessary disturbance to trade within the Union, to avoid unjustified barriers to trade being imposed by third countries, as well as to prevent the spread of the small hive beetle to other parts of the Union, it is appropriate to lay down restrictions on the movement of certain commodities which are capable to spread small hive beetle. These restrictions should be similar to those laid down by Italian authorities and to those currently laid down in Implementing Decision 2014/909/EU. The areas subject to these emergency measures should be limited to the Region of Calabria.

(6)

The measures laid down in this Decision should apply from 21 April 2021, which is the date of application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. Given the difficulties experienced by the competent authority in recent years eradicating the small hive beetle in the Region of Calabria, these measures should apply for 3 years.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,