  The amplitude of the Dalitz decay pi0 -> e+ e gamma is studied and its
model-independent properties are discussed in detail. A calculation of
radiative corrections is performed within the framework of two-flavour chiral
perturbation theory, enlarged by virtual photons and leptons. The lowest meson
dominance approximation, motivated by large N\_C considerations, is used for
the description of the pi0 - gamma* - gamma* transition form factor and for the
estimate of the NLO low energy constants involved in the analysis. The two
photon reducible contributions is included and discussed. Previous calculations
are extended to the whole kinematical range of the soft-photon approximation,
thus allowing for the possibility to consider various experimental situations
and observables.
