Transaction in Own Shares

Reed Elsevier PLC
27 April 2006

27 April 2006



ISSUED ON BEHALF OF REED ELSEVIER PLC AND REED ELSEVIER NV





                           Transactions in own shares



Reed Elsevier PLC announces that on 27 April 2006 it purchased 750,000 Reed
Elsevier PLC ordinary shares at a price of 550.4538 pence per share.  The
purchased shares will be held as treasury shares.  Following the above purchase,
Reed Elsevier PLC holds 11,639,500 Reed Elsevier PLC ordinary shares in
treasury, and has 1,269,337,671 Reed Elsevier PLC ordinary shares in issue
(excluding treasury shares).



Reed Elsevier NV announces that on 27 April 2006, it purchased 375,000 Reed
Elsevier NV ordinary shares at a price of €11.7827 per share.  The purchased
shares will be held as treasury shares.  Following the above purchase, Reed
Elsevier NV holds 7,851,500 Reed Elsevier NV ordinary shares in treasury, and
has 736,906,278 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