IALA Committees are the backbone of the work done through the Association. The IALA Council establishes a Committee when a subject relevant to the Aims of IALA is considered to need on-going study or discussion on the field of study, technology, or technologies concerned. A committee may also be asked to provide continuous monitoring of elements of subjects that could influence decisions concerning the provision of Aids to Navigation, including VTS.

Committees meet regularly, normally twice each year at the IALA Headquarters in Saint Germain en Laye and are important to the work of IALA because they keep abreast of all developments relating to their area of expertise. The Committees also prepare, review and revise relevant IALA publications in accordance with their Work Programme. The programmes for the Committees generally cover a 4-year study period, from one IALA Conference to the next.

There are presently 5 IALA Committees, each addressing a specific area of study: