The European Computer Trade Show, commonly known as ECTS, was an annual trade show for the European computer and video game industry, which first ran in 1988, with the last event occurring in 2004. The exposition was only open to industry professionals and journalists. A trade fair (or trade show) is an exhibition organised so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their new products and services. ... World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... The computer and video game industry is the economic sector involved with the development, marketing and sale of video and computer games. ...

ECTS was held towards the end of August or the beginning of September. Post-2002, the show was held at Earl's Court in London, previously it had been held in ExCeL_Exhibition_Centre and the Grand Hall at Olympia — both also in London. 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Earls Court is a place in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in London, England. ... The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, which contains Big Ben London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The ExCeL Exhibition Centre is a large purpose built exhibition centre situated in the Royal Docks area of Londons redeveloped Docklands. ... Olympia is the home to the Olympia Exhibition Halls. ...

From 2001, 'til 2004, the Game Developers Conference Europe was held alongside ECTS. Unlike the primarily press-oriented ECTS, it focused on talks and discussions about the development of games, and was aimed at the developers themselves.

In April 2005, organiser CMP announced that they were withdrawing from the British trade show market, marking the end of 17 years of shows. This article is about software. ...