▁competition ▁passed ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁state ▁to ▁a ▁national ▁committee ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁its ▁organisation ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁the ▁general ▁coun c ils ▁which ▁are ▁the ▁elected ▁assemb lies ▁of ▁the ▁depart ments . ▁The ▁national ▁com ity ▁remains ▁the ▁coordin ator ▁on ▁a ▁national ▁level . ▁ ▁Princi ples ▁At ▁the ▁beginning , ▁the ▁competition ▁was ▁about ▁the ▁a est het ics ▁of ▁green ▁spaces ▁and ▁fl oral ▁displays . ▁Now ad ays , ▁it ▁focus es ▁more ▁on ▁general ▁planning ▁and ▁how ▁it ▁impro ves ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁local ▁residents ▁and ▁the ▁experience ▁of ▁visitors . ▁ ▁Comm unes ▁that ▁apply ▁for ▁the ▁label ▁are ▁first ▁selected ▁by ▁their ▁department ▁which ▁transmit ▁the ▁application ▁to ▁the ▁regional ▁council . ▁The ▁latter ▁attributes ▁the ▁lowest ▁awards ▁( 1 , ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 3 ▁flowers ). ▁The ▁best ▁applications ▁are ▁then ▁submitted ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁committee ▁who ▁can ▁attribute ▁the ▁ 4 ▁flowers ▁and ▁extra ▁awards . ▁Bo ards ▁of ▁exam in ers ▁are ▁formed ▁on ▁department al , ▁regional ▁and ▁national ▁levels . ▁Their ▁members ▁are ▁usually ▁municipal ▁council ors , ▁municipal ▁cler ks , ▁h ort icult ur ists , ▁garden ers , ▁landscape ▁architect s , ▁tour ist ▁office ▁officials ▁and ▁represent atives ▁of ▁various ▁associations . ▁ ▁C riteria ▁ ▁The ▁Conc ours ▁des ▁vill es ▁et ▁villages ▁fle ur is ▁awards ▁its ▁labels ▁according ▁to ▁strict ▁criteria . ▁They ▁help ▁exam in ers ▁to