The Council adopted a recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving which seeks to promote progress towards the Europe 2020 headline target of reducing school dropout rates to less than 10% by 2020 (as compared with 14.4% in 2009).
Reducing early school leaving addresses the Europe 2020 aims of both 'smart growth' - by improving education and training levels - and of 'inclusive growth' - by tackling one of the major risk factors for unemployment, poverty and social exclusion.
Member states are called upon to ensure that comprehensive strategies on early school leaving are in place by the end of 2012 and that these are implemented in line with national priorities and the Europe 2020 objectives.