Directors' Dealings

REED INTERNATIONAL PLC
ELSEVIER NV
12 August 1999

TO:  COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OFFICE

Re:   ISSUED ON BEHALF OF REED INTERNATIONAL P.L.C AND ELSEVIER NV

We are writing to advise you that we have today received notification from
Lloyds Private Banking (Channel Islands) Ltd, the Trustees of the Reed Elsevier
Employee Benefit Trust ('the Trust'), that they purchased today 500,000 ordinary
shares in Reed International P.L.C. at a price of 392.678p per share and 320,000
ordinary shares in Elsevier NV at a price of EUR 10.163 per share.  Following
these purchases, the Trust now holds 618,790 ordinary shares in Reed
International P.L.C. and 320,000 ordinary shares in Elsevier NV.

The Trust is a discretionary employee benefit trust which is operated in
conjuction 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 P.L.C. and Elsevier NV
are, for disclosure purposes, deemed to be interested in all the shares referred
to above.

From: REED ELSEVIER PLC