The Federation of Production, Industry and Commerce (FEPRINCO) represents approximately 70 Paraguayan business organizations from the industrial, manufacturing and commercial sectors and is the business community's principal voice vis à vis the government. In order to help unite the private sector in advocating for reform, FEPRINCO developed a National Business Agenda as a vehicle for launching a legislative advisory program. The agenda contains a general set of economic principles from which it will base specific policy positions on market reforms. The National Business Agenda reviewed the government's economic program and identified further reforms that would consolidate the country's transition to democracy and a market economy. The agenda also identified opportunities for reform in such areas as public administration, transparency in the policymaking process, electoral reform, investment in human capital, a new legal framework for informal economic activities, and poverty alleviation.

The agenda was beneficial because it presented a unified voice of the private sector to the government. It was also extremely instructive in informing both the business community and government policymakers about economic reform and thrusting them into the process of governance, thereby strengthening their commitment to democracy. The National Business Agenda has also helped to foster a closer relationship between FEPRINCO and the country's legislature, opening opportunities to work together to craft legislation. Members of congress now frequently request opinions and recommendations from FEPRINCO and its member associations. As a result, several new legislative initiatives have been approved in the following areas: copyrights and patents, leases, reactivation of the agricultural sector, construction of new roads and infrastructure, and modification of the use of social security funds.

For more information, see the online Economic Reform Today article: Strengthening the Voice of Business