Reed Elsevier plc today announced that the United States Department of Justice will allow the company’s proposed acquisition of Harcourt General, Inc. to proceed without challenge. The US Department of Justice review of the on sale of certain Harcourt assets to The Thomson Corporation is continuing.

Outside the United States, the acquisition has already received clearance from the competition authorities in Germany, Austria and Ireland and now awaits regulatory clearance only from the UK competition authorities.

Commenting on the Department of Justice’s decision, Crispin Davis, Chief Executive of Reed Elsevier, said: “We are very pleased that this important milestone has been passed.”

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