Brussels, 15/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCOFCAH), which met on 11 and 12 October, has approved a proposal aimed at banning imports into the European Union of live queen bees and queen bumble bees from the USA (with the exception of the State of Hawaii). The decision comes after confirmation of the presence of the small hive beetle (SHB) in a consignment of bees from Texas. Introduction of this parasite could cause serious problems for the European bee-keeping sector. The exemption for Hawaii can be explained by the fact that this State is geographically and epidemiologically separate from the rest of the United States and is therefore free from bee diseases.