An outline is presented here of the Po Valley Fog Experiment 1989, carried out within the EUROTRAC-GCE project. This experiment is a joint effort by several European research groups from 5 countries. The physical and chemical behaviour of the fog multiphase system was studied experimentally following the temporal evolution of the relevant chemical species in the different phases (gas, droplet, interstitial aerosol) and the evolution of micrometeorological and microphysical conditions, from the pre-fog situation through the whole fog evolution, to the post-fog period. Some general results, useful for describing the general features of the fog system, are presented here, while specific scientific questions on the different processes taking place within the system itself will be addressed in other companion papers of this same issue. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0889.1992.t01-4-00002.x