Directors' Notification of Dealing in Shares

Reed International PLC
Elsevier NV
7 September 2000

LETTER TO:  COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OFFICE

We are writing to advise you that we have today received notification from Hill
Samuel Offshore Trust Company Limited, the Trustees of the Reed Elsevier
Employee Benefit Trust ('the Trust'), that they sold yesterday 14,629 ordinary
shares in Reed International Plc at a price of 605.5p per share.  The
transaction took place in order to meet the exercise of share option
entitlements by an employee of Reed Elsevier.  Following this transaction, the
Trust now holds 590,257 ordinary shares in Reed International Plc and 320,000
ordinary shares in Elsevier NV.

The Trust is a discretionary employee benefit trust which is operated in
conjunction with Reed Elsevier's share option schemes, and which provides for
the transfer of shares to employees on the exercise of options granted under the
said schemes.  Executive directors of Reed International Plc and Elsevier NV
are, for technical disclosure purposes, deemed to be interested in all shares
referred to above.

From:  L Dixon (Deputy Secretary)