The European Commission presented a new regulation for the European Capital of Culture (ECC), establishing rules to be adopted from 2033. Among the main changes is the possibility of cross-border candidacies and the requirement that proponents ensure a "European dimension" for their programmes, no longer considering only the locally generated impact. The regulation also requires the articulation of cultural programmes between cities designated for the same year, the previous one and the following one.
Portugal, which will host Évora as European Capital of Culture in 2027, will only return to the calendar in 2040, according to the horizon defined by the Commission for 2034-2047. However, the possibility of cross-border candidacies opens the door to a return in 2046, in an eventual partnership with a Spanish border town.
The Commission identified several gaps in the capitals of culture held so far, including poor understanding of the European dimension, long-term impact below expectations in some cities, lack of knowledge sharing between elected cities and the absence of impact measurement tools. The new legal framework requires strengthening the digital and innovation capacities of cultural sectors, creating links between culture and other sectors such as education, environment and sustainable tourism, and promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities.
The initiative, which began in 1985 with Athens and placed Lisbon on the map in 1994, Porto in 2001 and Guimarães in 2012, now undergoes greater centralization of communication by Brussels, which intends to coordinate activities to maximize the lasting impact of the event and ensure the artistic independence of the elected cities.
