Italy says time right for Serbia to apply for EU

* Italy backs Serbia plan to apply for EU candidacy

* Italy eyes green energy production in Serbia

By Gordana Filipovic

BELGRADE, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Serbia should apply for EU membership by the end of this year as a way to confirm "loud and clear" the Balkan country's intentions, Italy's ambassador to Serbia said on Wednesday.

Serbia plans to apply for EU membership in December, but is still waiting for signals from Brussels to proceed.

"Italy is strongly in favour of Serbia applying for EU candidacy," Armando Varricchio told a news conference ahead of an Italy-Serbia summit in Rome on Friday.

"It's a political move that will really confirm loud and clear that the Serbian government's objective is to eventually join the EU."

The only EU member still opposed to Serbia's membership is The Netherlands, which wants Belgrade to hand over two remaining fugitives to the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, including ex-Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic.