EU tie important now says Gentiloni (4)

(ANSA) - Brussels, March 22 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday said relations with the European Commission were particularly important now, with Italy facing political uncertainty after an inconclusive general election earlier this month. "Precisely in such a particular phase of Italian affairs, in these weeks of transition, it is important to maintain a relationship with the European Commission," Gentiloni said on his way into an EU summit in Brussels.
    Gentiloni said this was why he was now going to see European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
    Gentiloni and Juncker are set to have bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit.
    At the summit, Gentiloni added, Italy would raise the issues of US tariffs, where he said the EU should be exempted, and the Facebook electoral data farming scandal.
    He also voiced the hope of "steps forward" on a Web tax.