In the framework of ongoing cooperation between the Germany and The Netherlands, AWI and the Netherlands Polar Programme of the Dutch Research Council are planning an Arctic workshop with scientists from both sides. The aim is to identify and discuss ongoing and potential scientific cooperation in the Arctic region. The geographic focus is Spitsbergen/Fram Strait/East Greenland, but this focus may be extended westward if there are initiatives for Dutch-AWI collaboration. All research must fit in the “Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future” programme of the Helmholtz Foundation and “PolePosition-NL 3.0” of the NPP.