MPEG正式审核进程是Moving Picture Experts Group的简称。这个名字本来的含义是指一个研究视频和音频编码标准的“动态图像专家组”组织，成立于1988年，致力开发视频、音频的压缩编码技术。现在我们所说的MPEG泛指由该小组制定的一系列视频编码标准正式审核进程。该小组于1988年组成，至今已经制定了MPEG-1、MPEG-2、MPEG-3、MPEG-4、MPEG-7等多个标准，MPEG-21正在制定中。MPEG是ISO和IEC的工作组，它的官方头衔为：第一技术委员会第二十九子委员会第十一号工作组正式审核进程，英文头衔为ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29 WG11。MPEG大约每2-3个月举行一次会议，每次会议大约持续5天，在会议期间，新的建议和技术细节先在小组中讨论，成熟后进入标准化的正式审核进程。与MPEG工作组相关的其他几个视频标准化工作组包括ITU-T VCEG以及JVT。

The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is a working group of authorities that was formed by ISO and IEC to set standards for audio and video compression and transmission. It was established in 1988 by the initiative of Hiroshi Yasuda (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) and Leonardo Chiariglione, group Chair since its inception. The first MPEG meeting was in May 1988 in Ottawa, Canada. As of late 2005, MPEG has grown to include approximately 350 members per meeting from various industries, universities, and research institutions. MPEG's official designation is ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11 – Coding of moving pictures and audio (ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1, Subcommittee 29, Working Group 11).