CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) was introduced in the Italian school system in 2003 through a Reform Law, which made it mandatory for upper secondary schools. This paper is aimed at describing the most important steps of this innovation, with the relevant implications for policymakers, teachers and students. Italy's CLIL mandate is conceptualized as a national language education policy within the larger European plurilingualism discourse, which represents the background of this paper. After a brief overview of the main conceptual frameworks and of CLIL provision in Europe, the paper will try to describe the current status of CLIL in Italy considering the Italian educational system according to the latest legislation. Reference to the national CLIL teacher profile and to the national teacher training action will be taken. Some pilot projects involving school networks will be also mentioned. Particular attention will be devoted to CLIL implementation in "licei linguistici", the Italian upper secondary school that is most oriented to foreign languages. Finally, some future challenges will be highlighted.