The role of the OIE's Specialist Commissions is to collect current scientific information to study problems of epidemiology and the prevention and control of animal diseases, to develop and/or revise OIE's international standards submitted to the World Assembly of Delegates and to address scientific and technical issues raised by Members notably regarding prevention and control of terrestrial and aquatic animals, including zoonoses.

All documents produced by the OIE Specialist Commissions are published on the OIE public website and incorporate as appendices the final reports from relevant OIE Working Groups and ad hoc Groups.