  We find the complete set of conditions satisfied by the forward $2\to2$
scattering amplitude in unitarity and causal theories. These are based on an
infinite set of energy dependent quantities -- the arcs -- which are
dispersively expressed as moments of a positive measure defined at
(arbitrarily) higher energies. We identify optimal finite subsets of
constraints, suitable to bound Effective Field Theories (EFTs), at any finite
order in the energy expansion. At tree-level arcs are in one-to-one
correspondence with Wilson coefficients. We establish under which conditions
this approximation applies, identifying seemingly viable EFTs where it never
does. In all cases, we discuss the range of validity in both couplings and
energy. We also extend our results to the case of small but finite~$t$. A
consequence of our study is that EFTs in which the scattering amplitude in some
regime grows in energy faster than $E^6$ cannot be UV-completed.
