I will underline the strengths and weaknesses of the radial velocity method for exo-planet detection, and briefly describe the main experimental challenges. Using the HARPS spectrograph we are monitoring since 8 years a volume limited sample, and I will present our results attempting a statistical analysis. The detections from the program will be discussed in the context of all the planet candidates to date, and the planet formation and evolution models. Finally I will briefly present the path towards even more precise radial velocity measurements at ESO, from HARPS at the 3.6m, to ESPRESSO at the VLT and CODEX at the E-ELT.