The task of the National Committees is, on behalf of Belgium, to promote and co-ordinate the study of various scientific disciplines within their remit, mainly from an international point of view. The national scientific committees coordinate the various disciplines in Belgium and their representation in an international context. For example, the national committees nominate delegates in the general meeting of the international scientific union of the discipline (affiliated with ICSU). These nominations are approved by the Classes of the Academy/ies. Some national committees organize congresses, talks or other events, such as the annual Crystal Growth Contest (National Committee of Crystallography) and the biennial PhD-day (National Committee of Mathematics).
The condition for establishing a National Committee is the existence within the same scientific discipline of an international scientific union affiliated with the International Council for Science (ICSU) or a scientific body of ICSU (Scientific Committees, Special Committees ...).
RASAB is responsible for the financial and logistical support of the National Committees, both in the day-to-day operations and in the organization of scientific events by the National Committees in the Palace of the Academies.