With its expertise in conflict prevention, crisis management, and early warning, the OSCE contributes to worldwide efforts in combating terrorism. Many effective counterterrorism measures fall into other areas in which the OSCE is active, such as police training and border monitoring. The OSCE also looks at human rights issues, such as torture, in relation to counterterrorism.

Since the early 2000s, the Helsinki Commission has been active on the issue of terrorism. Recent Helsinki Commission inititiatives on the topic include hearings on ISIS recruitment in Central Asia and the refugee crisis in Europe, and Commissioners regularly call for cooperative action to combat terrorist activity in the OSCE region.