16.12.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 359/161 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 12 December 2014 concerning certain protective measures with regard to confirmed occurrences of the small hive beetle in Italy (notified under document C(2014) 9415) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2014/909/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market (), and in particular Article 9(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applic- able in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (%), and in particular Article 10(4) thereof, Whereas: (1)  The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is a parasite of bees. It is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and capable of multiplying rapidly in the presence of bee brood and comb honey. Adult specimens can fly up to several kilo- metres to invade other such places. The small hive beetle is a notifiable disease in the Union under Council Directive 92/65/EEC (°). (2)  On 11 September 2014, Italy informed the Commission of the occurrence of the small hive beetle in a nucleus colony, set up by a University department located in the region of Calabria. (3)  Italy immediately put in place measures in order to eradicate and prevent the spread of the small hive beetle, as well as to survey the extent of the occurrence of that parasite in the areas surrounding the outbreak in Calabria. In particular, a protection zone with a 20 km radius and a surveillance zone with a 100 km radius from the site of the outbreak were established. The areas of a 100 km radius also concern the provinces of Messina and Catania in Sicily. (4)  After discovering the occurrence of the small hive beetle in other apiaries close to the site of the first occurrence, Italy extended the measures, including the establishment of a surveillance zone and a ban on the movement of honey bees and bumblebees (Bombus spp.) to cover the whole region of Calabria. (5)  Since the date of the first occurrence of the small hive beetle in Calabria, another 35 occurrences have been confirmed in apiaries located in close proximity in the protection zone of 20 km radius. Controls carried out in other parts of Calabria have so far given negative results for the presence of the parasite. (6)  On 7 November 2014, Italy informed about a new occurrence of small hive beetle in the Sicilian province of Siracusa which is located outside the areas previously under restriction. The occurrence was detected in an apiary which was moved from the protection zone in Calabria at the end of August 2014, before the implementation of the restrictive measures. (7)  In all positive cases, the affected apiaries have been destroyed; however, the spread of the small hive beetle from the affected area in Italy could constitute a serious hazard to honey bees and bumblebees in the Union. () OJL395,30.12.1989, p. 13. () OJL224,18.8.1990, p. 29. (’) Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (1) to Directive 90/425/EEC (O] L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 54).