A unique window on an enlarged Europe is on offer to visitors to this year's Royal Show, which takes place from July 3-6 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. For the first time at a UK event, all ten new Member States will exhibit with the European Commission in a major stand in the International Village and will be represented by their Ministers of Agriculture.

The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel, will also be attending the show on the Sunday (July 3). She will provide the keynote address at the International Conference, which is sponsored by the International Agriculture & Technology Centre.

'National Days' will form part of the display on the European Commission stand. On each day of the show, the new Member States will demonstrate their cuisine and culture to provide visitors to the show with a unique insight into the lives of our new European partners.

“We are absolutely thrilled and couldn't have wished for a better line-up of international exhibits for the show,” says managing director of Haymarket Land Events Dominique Loral.

“This involvement from the European Commission and the new Member States will give farmers and trade visitors an unprecedented opportunity to get a thorough commercial insight into the enlarged Europe and a multitude of new business prospects. While never before have visitors to a UK event had the chance to taste the rich and diverse flavours and lifestyles of our European neighbours. This is truly something to savour and to celebrate.”

The National Day for Malta, Lithuania and Slovenia will be Sunday (July 3), while the Czech Republic, Latvia and Poland will be displaying their national flair on the Monday (July 4). On Tuesday (July 5) it will be Cyprus and Hungary's turn and on Wednesday (July 6) Slovakia.

Dubbed the Royal Show's best-kept secret, around £4 million worth of international trade takes place at the show, or as a direct result of contact made there. Around 8000 international visitors come to the show each year from as far afield as China, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. Around 80 UK firms set out their wares for an international audience in the International Centre and Village and the newly-developed Global Partnerships Agro-Technology Pavilion.