As the ECoC reaches its 40th year, a crucial question emerges: What’s next? How can it remain meaningful and impactful for the future? As part of its commitment to the European dimension criterion outlined in its final bid book to become an ECoC in 2025, the City of Chemnitz has initiated a research project in collaboration with the City of Nova Gorica (the two 2025 Capitals), with the aim of addressing these ambitious questions. Based on the collective intelligence gathered from the ECoC managers and artistic coordinators of 64 ECoC cities, the resulting White Paper titled “40 recommendations from 40 years of ECoC: Insights for the Capitals from 2034 onwards” consolidates insights from four decades of ECoC experiences to guide EU decision-makers in the European Commission, European Parliament, Council, and Committee of the Regions in drafting a new legal framework for the ECoC action. The White Paper identifies five key political issues affecting the ECoC’s effectiveness and offers 40 actionable recommendations on how to enhance its impact and relevance in light of contemporary challenges.