The Entente Florale Europe (EFE) landscape architecture competition celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. Although the name refers to floriculture, the purpose and process of the competition have evolved over the last half century in response to the challenges of the times. Originally a competition established between France and Great Britain, it has quickly expanded on a European scale, providing an opportunity to showcase national landscape and environmental achievements internationally.
It brings communities from across Europe together under the overall objective of care for the environment and improving quality of life for European Citizens. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary in 2025. It is the longest running environmental awards scheme in Europe and over the years, approx. Over 400 municipalities and 7 million European citizens have participated.
The competition now has ten judging criteria assessed during the judging day:
- Planning and Development
- Sustainable environment - climate change mitigation
- Built environment,
- Landscape – Nature reserves, flora and fauna studies
- Green spaces
- Planting – Permanent and/or Seasonal
- Environmental education,
- Effort and involvement (community and municipalities)
- Tourism and/or Leisure
- Communication
The main objective of the 21st Century's Entente Florale Europe is to promote liveable and sustainable communities, with a focus on cooperative and engaged local communities. The competition entails knowledge sharing, assistance through mentoring, and constructive dialogue. The Assessment Day is an excellent opportunity for knowledge transfer across Europe, with the EFE's team of expert judges working with local community representatives to find answers to local challenges.
The final event of the competition season will also be an opportunity for a broad showcase of the results of the municipalities (European Market), an exchange of experiences (Network Lunch) and a personal networking and celebration (Gala Dinner). This active cooperation will contribute to the wide dissemination of European good practices and to the strengthening of the networks of municipalities.
The organizing committee is composed of the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Germany and Spain. and Italy and chaired by Hungary. The competition is organized annually in the countries of the European Union through the Irish non-profit organization – Entente Florale Europe Company Limited by Guarantee.
Hungarian membership would be through the Hungarian Tourism Agency that organizes a national, country wide competition with similar aims to Entente Florale. Two or three national winners from the previous year, (generally one from each category of village, town or city), from each country can be entered to the international contest.
The accomplishments of the Entente Florale Europe competition are the pride of our country. Cities and villages received gold and silver qualifications in the Entente Florale Europe competition furnish a good example.
Gold winners of the previous years are Siófok, Géderlak, Kaposvár, Nagyatád, Eger, Lipót, Balatonfüred, Gyula, Balatongyörök, Tihany, Veszprém, Székesfehérvár, Orfű and Zalakaros.
Silver winners are Hévíz, Tata, Bük, Sárospatak, Győr, Velence, Paks, Zalakaros, Balatonszárszó, Makó, Tápiógyörgye, Szombathely, Gelse, Sopron, Paloznak, Százhalombatta, Lövő, Csopak, Zebegény, Mosonmagyaróvár, Dunakiliti, Lajoskomárom, Csemő, Nagykőrös, Veresegyház, and Debrecen, Nyíregyháza and Varsány.
You can find further information on www.entente-florale.eu website!
