Political relations
Bilateral relations are very developed and intense. Strategic partnership between Serbia and Italy was established on 13 November 2009 in Rome, during the first Joint Session of the two governments. In 2019, the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations and tenth anniversary of the strategic partnership between Serbia and Italy were marked. Serbian-Italian “Business & Science Forum” was held on 21 and 22 March 2023 in Belgrade. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Antonio Tajani and the Minister of Defence of Italy Guido Crosetto, paid an official visit to Belgrade on 22 November 2022. On 22 June 2022 and on 21 and 22 June 2021 Serbia was visited by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Luigi Di Maio. The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, visited Italy on 31 March and 1 April 2021.
Economic relations
Italy is one of the leading trading partners of Serbia for years. In 2022 Italy was the third foreign trade partner of Serbia, the third biggest export market for serbian goods, the fourth biggest partner in import, the twelfth market for placement of services from Serbia and the twelfth biggest foreign investor. Bilateral trade in 2022 amounted to 4.578,6 million euros. The biggest italian investors are currently employing in Serbia 22 thousand workers and with cooperants the number of them are about 50 thousand. Some of the major investors are FCA, Intesa Sanpaolo, UnipolSai S.p.A./DDOR Novi Sad, Calzedonia, Vibac,Generali Group, Valy - Golden Lady, Benetton Group, Fulgar, Pompea.
Bilateral agreements
There are 179 valid bilateral agreements with Italy and 2 in fase of ratification. The most important ones include:
- Joint Declaration on the Initiation of the Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Serbia and the Italian Republic, signed on: 13/11/2009;
- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Italian Republic on cooperation in the field of defence, entry into force: 30/12/2019;
- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Italian Republic on cooperation in the field of culture and education, entry into force: 01/05/2013;
Contact information
Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Rome: http://roma.mfa.gov.rs/cir/
Italian Embassy in Belgrade: https://ambbelgrado.esteri.it/ambasciata_belgrado/sr
Department for Neighbouring and South East Europe Countries: Phone: +381 11 306 8280, e-mail: osz@mfa.rs