The Xth European Colloid and Interface Society (ECIS) Conference was conducted jointly with its Finnish counterpart (PKS-YKS) in Abo (Turku), Finland, in September 1996. The focus was placed on the following topics: - Properties of microemulsion systems; - Structure and interactions in thin films; - Biocolloids and vesicles; - Structure and interactions in dispersions; - Polymers at solid interfaces; - Polymers in solutions. This volume presents a balanced and representative selection of the papers presented at the conference.