Transaction in Own Shares

Reed Elsevier PLC
16 May 2006


16 May 2006


ISSUED ON BEHALF OF REED ELSEVIER PLC AND REED ELSEVIER NV

                           Transactions in own shares


Reed Elsevier PLC announces that on 16 May 2006 it purchased 600,000 Reed
Elsevier PLC ordinary shares at a price of 530.4855 pence per share.  The
purchased shares will be held as treasury shares.  Following the above purchase,
Reed Elsevier PLC holds 16,758,500 Reed Elsevier PLC ordinary shares in
treasury, and has 1,264,474,043 Reed Elsevier PLC ordinary shares in issue
(excluding treasury shares).

Reed Elsevier NV announces that on 16 May 2006, it purchased 385,000 Reed
Elsevier NV ordinary shares at a price of €11.5315 per share.  The purchased
shares will be held as treasury shares.  Following the above purchase, Reed
Elsevier NV holds 10,726,500 Reed Elsevier NV ordinary shares in treasury, and
has 734,203,336 Reed Elsevier NV ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury
shares).






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange