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Country name:
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales.
conventional short form: United Kingdom
abbreviation: UK |
Economy - overview:
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to 3.2% growth, but fell in 2005, to 1.8%. Despite slower growth, the economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they cite public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of Britons opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health services, at a cost in higher taxes and a widening public deficit. |
Trade Fairs,
Exhibitions, Conferences: |
100% Design
100% Design is flourishing, with an advisory panel that ensures the right mix of designers and manufacturers at the highest level. It nurtures up and coming designers and creates innovative collaborations with the media, including The Independent, the AJ, Domus, Channel 4 and Elle Decoration.
100% Design promotes and supports a London-wide celebration of contemporary design (100% Guaranteed), runs a programme of challenging seminars and has privately run bars and restaurants that serve proper food and drink in nice surroundings.
Autumn Fair
Gifts and Home Trade Show
With 2,000 exhibitors, ranging from independent designers to major worldwide suppliers, discover more buying opportunities at Autumn Fair. At three times the size of any other UK show at this time, Autumn Fair is packed with products, ideas and events. This year sees 600 new suppliers, offering thousands more innovative new products and eye-catching displays. Perfectly timed to stock up in time for Christmas and source exclusive new lines for the whole of next year. And it’s not just what you buy at Autumn Fair that’s important, it’s what you learn too in our ever-popular Talking Point Seminars hosted by retail experts.
Venue: NEC, Birmingham
Elite Fabric Show
Where fashion meets fabric...
At the New Elite Fabric Show 2006, the promising textile and trim trade show in Europe, you will find designers, buyers and product development managers who are looking to source new products. The Elite Fabric Show is the meeting place for fashion executives looking to find inspiration and direction for their latest collections.
Exhibitor Categories: Fabric, Trim, Fashion Publications & Trend Services
Organiser: Pegasus Trade Communications UK Ltd
Venue: Olympia Convention Centre London
eye2eye
The newest and most exciting international exhibition for high-level fashion footwear and accessories. After its extraordinarily successful debut in London in September 03, eye2eye has grown considerably, with the last February edition showcasing 160 collections. Click here for a review of the last show. For the coming season, eye2eye has teamed up with Rendez-Vous, the already established Paris show, and as a result eye2eye will “go to Paris” next season, in conjunction with Rendez-Vous, and - in reverse - Rendez-Vous will launch in London.
Rendez-Vous will specialize in clothing collections, whereas eye2eye will continue to focus on the footwear and accessories arena.
International Jewellery London
International Jewellery London is the premier UK event dedicated to the jewellery industry. It brings together dynamic young designers with world-renowned manufacturers creating a stunning showcase for the jewellery industry of today. With exhibitors presenting a wealth of new designs, IJL is a very influential jewellery launch platform. It is where new ranges are introduced, services unveiled and trends revealed.
Intimate London Body & Beach
Trade Show of swimwear, underwear, nightwear and hosiery.
Venue: Earls Court 2, London
ITMA
ITMA is the world meeting place for textile machinery manufacturers and textile industries. A global community which gathers once every four years to talk, to discover and to do business. It is a barometer for the textile industry, an indicator of its current position and its future development. ITMA brings together people of every race, creed and colour to meet face to face in order to share knowledge, opinions and ideas. It is a stage, a blackboard and a shop window. It is where people matter and it is where the industry is strong. It only happens once every four years.
The NEC
More than 180 exhibitions are held each year and it is now the busiest exhibition centre in Europe. 70 percent of exhibitions are trade shows, 30 percent are open to the public. Over 4 million visitors now pass through The NEC and The NEC Arena each year.
Londonedge & London Central
Londonedge & Londoncentral are the trade fashion exhibitions for the alternative, club and streetwear markets. 300+ Collections exhibited at the show include menswear, womenswear, youthwear, footwear, jewellery, lifestyle products, cosmetics, accessories, jeanswear and giftware. Influences include punk, goth, street, skate, rock n roll, music related merchandise, cyber, retro, rockabilly, tattooing, djing and piercing. It takes place twice a year in February and early September. Check out the websites londonedge.com and londoncentralshow.com for further information.
Margin London
Margin exists to promote young upscale streetwear labels.
Margin London was established to help new labels reach a wider buying and press audience. Organised by Odysseas Constantine, Margin London was created out of necessity. Retailers travel the world looking for the next big thing but are never going to find it at a show whose costs prohibit fresh talent. The main drive of Margin London was to establish a show where new young labels could find an affordable platform.
Moda UK
One unified national fashion show at the NEC in Birmingham.
Off-Price UK
Venue: Olympia Exhibition Centre, London
Europe's leading trade event for discount fashion and accessories.
Premier KIDS
The UK's premier kidswear trade event for 0-16 year olds.
Venue: NEC Birmingham
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Pure London
Pure Womenswear Trade Show London; Trade show of womenswear, accessories, footwear and young creative brands.
Organiser: Emap Retail
Venue: Olympia London
Scotlands Autumn Gift Fair (SAGF)
Venue: SECC, Glasgow
Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC)
SECC is Scotland's national venue for public events. It's also the UK's largest integrated exhibition and conference centre: a world class facility set in one of Europe's most vibrant cities and only a short journey from some of the most beautiful countryside in the world.
Select British
An exclusive showcase of British products.
Gifts Fair and Exhibition. The Trade Fair includes product launches, gifts, home products and more.
Venue: Torquay Fair, Southwest of England |
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