The Veterinary Directorate (VD) is responsible for the safety of food of animal origin throughout all stages of production, processing and distribution, including import and export. It is also responsible for animal health, animal welfare, animal reproduction, animal feed, veterinary medicinal products and residues, as well as animal by-products. Legislation and cooperation with other relevant competent authorities in these fields are in the remit of VD. VD is the central point for coordinating activities related to OIE, EFSA and RASFF.

The Veterinary Inspection division is an integral part of VD and veterinary inspectors carry out official controls on holdings and in establishments dealing with food of animal origin and feed.

VD implements all necessary measures to protect the spread of animal diseases and zoonoses, foodborne diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

The Veterinary Institutes located throughout the whole country support the work of VD and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The scientific and expert support to VD is provided by the Scientific Veterinary Institutes (SVI) in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kraljevo for certain animal diseases – as well as by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which performs diagnostic tests related to animal health, food and feed testing, and participates in scientific work and training.

The National Reference Laboratory for VMP (veterinary medicinal product) residues is the Institute for Meat Hygiene and Technology in Belgrade.

Besides these institutions, there are designated state and private laboratories involved in the official testing of food of animal origin.