11/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Three years of working together to explain the EU in Italy. In Rome last week, the Italian government, the European Commission and the European Parliament drew up a balance sheet of the last three years of joint efforts, from 2008 onwards, on raising the awareness of people in Italy, especially young people, about the benefits of European policies. The work included the creation of seven internet portals with 80 million surfers around the world and the holding of 450 different public events. Publication of the balance sheet coincided with announcement of a new deal between the Commission and the Italian government's EU policy department, which has a budget of €850,000 this year. (Gp/transl.fl)