Director/PDMR Shareholding

Reed Elsevier PLC
17 May 2007



           ISSUED ON BEHALF OF REED ELSEVIER PLC AND REED ELSEVIER NV





17 May 2007

                            Director/PDMR Shareholding





Reed Elsevier received notification yesterday that Mr Patrick Tierney, a
director of Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV, undertook the following
transactions in the ordinary shares of Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV on
10 May 2007:





(i)     Sold 52,684 Reed Elsevier PLC shares at an average price of 
        643.57p per share.



(ii)    Sold 36,176 Reed Elsevier NV shares an an average price of
        €14.13 per share.





Notification was also received today that, Mr Tierney undertook the following
transactions in the ordinary shares of Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV on
17 May 2007:





(i)         Exercised an option over 171,426 Reed Elsevier PLC shares, granted
in 2003 at 451.50p.  All of the shares were sold at 675.88p per share.



(ii)        Exercised an option over 126,258 Reed Elsevier NV shares, granted in
2003 at €9.34.  All of the shares were sold at €14.5956 per share.





As a consequence of these transactions, Mr Tierney's  interests in the ordinary
share capital of Reed Elsevier is now:





88,564 Reed Elsevier PLC ordinary shares; and



59,158 Reed Elsevier NV ordinary shares.





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