Since 1968, scientific ocean drilling is recovering unique global geological records preserved in marine sedimentary deposits and basement rocks. These records obtained within the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP), the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP), and the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) have been key for major advances in our understanding of our planet, including palaeoclimate, palaeoceanography, deep biosphere and crustal dynamics and tectonic processes.

Global continental efforts are coordinated within the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). Funding and support for research projects is provided to tackle challenging geoscientific themes of socio-economic relevance such as paleoclimate, earthquakes and volcanism, or unconventional energy resources.

The principal goals of the IODP-ICDP EuroFORUM 2010 are to summarize and review major scientific achievements in ocean and continental drilling with special emphasis on the European contributions to IODP and ICDP. Furthermore, perspectives and visions for drilling projects using a multi-platform approach will be tackled.