This study analyses the development of policies and practice on reducing ESL after 2011, seeking to assess the contribution of the 2011 Council Recommendation on Policies to Reduce Early School Leaving (henceforth the 2011 Recommendation) and associated EU policy instruments to the development of policy, practice and research on ESL across Europe. The study looks at the leverage of EU policy on tackling ESL over the actions taken by key stakeholders at EU level and explores the extent of any influence between MS on their respective approaches to reducing ESL. The study also seeks to assess the added value of EU policy to tackle ESL in the Member States, and investigates the relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the EU policy and tools on reducing ESL.