Over the last years, special efforts have been made by a number of European institutions in the fields of science, research and education to develop inquiry-based science education in primary school through joint collaborations. The launching of two projects financed by the European Commission (6th Framework Programme - Science and society), namely Scienceduc and Pollen, was part of this renewal of science teaching and learning. Pollen (2006-2009) was thus acknowledged as a reference project in the Rocard report to the UE on science education (2007). As it is now reaching completion, it provides an excellent opportunity to organise a major final conference that would enable participants and other projects from Europe and abroad to discuss issues and findings related to inquiry-based science education and to promote the best practices in this field.Following several European conferences on science education (Amsterdam 2004, Stockholm 2006, Grenoble 2008), this conference intends to contribute to the international agenda on science education in primary school and to provide concrete illustrations. We hope to create a space for outstanding contributions from different points of view and contexts, reflecting the significance and diversity of innovative actions in science education across Europe.Co-organised by the Freie Universität Berlin, the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften and the Pollen project, this conference will address 4 major issues with an aim at setting a milestone towards the generalization of the inquiry-based science approach in primary school in Europe. It will gather about 200 participants, such as members of the scientific community, policy makers on science education, teachers