The Eurosatory international defense trade show in Paris scheduled for June 8-12 has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Organizers of the event confirmed the decision on Thursday, noting safety concerns for the expected 100,000 visitors and ongoing challenges for exhibitors’ ability to transport equipment to the show.
“The sanitary situation due to Covid-19 is deteriorating daily in France and has spread throughout the world. The conditions for preparing and running the exhibition, which would protect the health and safety of the 100,000 expected participants, visitors, exhibitors and organizers, cannot be met,” the organizers wrote. “The current situation no longer makes Eurosatory possible in 2020. It is with immense disappointment that GICAT (French Land and Airland Defence and Security Association) and its subsidiary COGES are forced to cancel the fair planned for June.”
The biennial event, which is one of the largest international trade shows, will not be postponed to a later date with the organizers confirming the next iteration will take place June 13-17, 2022, in Paris.
Last week, the biennial Farnborough International Air Show, the largest international air show, scheduled for July 20-24 in the U.K. was also canceled due to the coronavirus (Defense Daily, March 20).