[2] Both countries are members of the Central European Initiative, OSCE, Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization.

Grand Prince of Serbia Stefan the First-Crowned (1165–1228) coronation was performed by a legate of Pope Urban II which led some Serbian historians to conclude that Stefan underwent both Catholic and Orthodox coronations, but modern scholars tend to agree that only the papal one took place.

Popular legend claims that the Žiča Monastery, seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church between 1219 and 1253, was intentionally constructed on the halfway between Rome and Constantinople.

[4] Following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 Italy supported Serbian leadership as the Piedmont of the South Slavs with Prince Mihailo Obrenović as its leader.

[4] In the initial phase of the Breakup of Yugoslavia Members of the European Economic Community were divided over the importance they should give to the potentially contradictory principles of self-determination and territorial integrity.

[5] In the period following the breakup of Yugoslavia Italy perceived Belgrade as an ally for diplomatic leverage on newly independent Croatia and Slovenia in advocating rights of Istrian Italians and recognition of Istrian-Dalmatian exodus while in addition Italian left showed sympathy towards the country under international sanctions.

[6] Relations between Italy and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia-Montenegro) under Slobodan Milosevic's rule were cold but nevertheless continued.

[6] This offered an opportunity for Italy to regain a more central role in Mediterranean diplomacy which particularly materialized in UNIFIL Lebanon.