A questionnaire was sent to the 167 Member Countries of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in 2004 and 2005. The organization and functioning of national Veterinary Services were analysed based on the responses from 85 of these countries. Leaving aside variations between countries, Veterinary Services are very involved in animal health and food safety controls at farm level (including animal feed), and during primary and secondary processing, whether alone or in conjunction with other services. At the lower end of the chain, namely distribution and the catering industry, responsibilities tend to be more widely shared. Veterinary Services have a central responsibility in international trade in animals and animal products. The main weaknesses in the chain of controls concern the logistical and financial resources of Veterinary Services, and insufficient involvement of livestock producers and even of field veterinarians. The many recent reforms are tending to provide a more consistent, integrated approach to animal health and food safety controls 'from the stable to the table'.