The Eifel region in Germany hosts hundreds of distributed volcanoes of Quaternary age, including the Laacher See volcano that produced an eruption of VEI (volcanic explosivity index) 6 13 kyr ago, and is underlain by one of the youngest silicate–carbonatite intrusive complexes worldwide. Recently, three workshops were held to sharpen scientific questions of global scope and relevance to study this type of volcanism by drilling. This report summarised the workshop outcome with a clear science plan for the drilling project.