Lobby registers aim to record interactions between government officials and interest representatives, but defining who qualifies as an interest representative and which government officials are included presents challenges. While ministers maintain public agendas, these are often incomplete, necessitating a more comprehensive lobby register that captures data about lobbying organizations.

Several countries and the city of Rotterdam have implemented lobby registers that track appointments, organizational objectives, lobbyist names, budgets, funding sources, and relevant subjects. However, the effectiveness of these registers in fully capturing policy influence is debated, as much lobbying occurs informally through networks and various channels that are difficult to track.

A lobby register is one component of a broader system of control mechanisms, including transparent ministerial agendas, restrictions on lobby passes for parliament members, oversight of severance packages for departing politicians, monitoring of party and campaign funding, and prohibitions on former ministers influencing policy in their previous areas of responsibility. Some propose extending lobby registers to members of parliament, but practical challenges and a lack of support have hindered such efforts. Strengthening support for parliamentary groups is seen as another key strategy to reduce reliance on external lobby information and promote more balanced policy-making.