The Ethics Rapporteurs were vital to the ethics governance of the Human Brain Project. Together, they identifed, addressed and provided an overview of emerging social and ethical questions raised by research in the Project. 

The Ethics Rapporteur Programme has contributed to an overall uptake of principles and practices of responsible research and innovation (RRI) across the HBP. The Ethics Rapporteurs had monthly meetings and communicate regularly with the Ethics Advisory Board members and the HBP Ethics Coordination team. Joint meetings between the three bodies were held periodically.

The Ethics Rapporteur Programme and its Work Package and Ethics Advisory Board participants identifed and discussed emergent ethical and social questions that arise from scientific or other activities of the HBP. Those questions were systematised periodically in the so-called "One-pager Compilation Report on Ethical Issues", which gave an ongoing high-level overview of the ethics and social-related questions of the HBP. Participants of the Project could choose to register ethical, regulatory, or social issues in the Point of Registration (PORE), ensuring the issues could be followed through to a result or disposition.