More Wolters Kluwer sales

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

FYI, from:

Richard Poynder    
Freelance Journalist
Phone: + 44 (0)191-386-0072
Mobile: 0793-202-4032
E-mail: richard.poynder@journalist.co.uk
Web: www.richardpoynder.com

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Sale of ten Hagen & Stam to Sdu

Wolters Kluwer Legal, Tax & Business Europe further focuses on developing
new growth engines within its core customer segments Wolters Kluwer
announced today that it has reached an agreement on principles with Sdu
nv, based in the Hague, on the sale of its Dutch trade publisher ten Hagen
& Stam. Financial details of the deal will not be disclosed.

ten Hagen & Stam, based in the Hague, employs over 600 people and reported
sales in 2001 of about EUR 100 million, around 7% of the total sales of
Wolters Kluwer Legal, Tax & Business Europe.  Well-known publications of
ten Hagen & Stam include Cobouw, Automatisering Gids and Chemisch 2
Weekblad.

The foreseen sale of ten Hagen & Stam is the outcome of the new growth
strategy of Wolters Kluwer Legal, Tax & Business Europe. As announced in
August last year this cluster - with annual sales of approximately EUR
1,345 million and employing around 8,300 people - focuses its activities
on the growth potential of six customer segments: legal; fiscal/financial;
human resources; public & government administration; health, safety &
environment (HSE);  transport. The objective is to forge or enhance
leading positions in each of these areas. The activities of ten Hagen &
Stam are focused on ICT, construction, and industry and no longer fit
within Legal, Tax & Business Europe.

Sdu nv is a provider of several information services. One of the core
activities of the company is its legal publishing group. Sdu nv employs
more than 700 people and realized annual sales of more than EUR 130
million in 2001.

'The implementation of our growth plans for Legal, Tax & Business Europe
implies that we will only invest our resources in growth enhancing
activities, with a focus on software and services, that fit within our
sharpened portfolio strategy. For that reason well-known but non-core
activities within our company, like ten Hagen & Stam, would not get the
recognition and funds for future investment. Therefore, we decided to put
ten Hagen & Stam up for sale and identify a buyer who could offer our
Dutch trade publisher a better home for its activities. We believe that
Sdu will offer this focused platform for ten Hagen & Stam,' says Jean-Marc
Detailleur, member of the Executive Board of Wolters Kluwer responsible
for Legal, Tax & Business Europe.

'We trust that this agreement will create a win-win situation: our former
employees will become part of a company for which their knowledge and
expertise are added-value while Wolters Kluwer can further focus on
developing new growth engines within its European cluster', he added.

Employees, their representative bodies, and unions have been informed and
consultation procedures will commence shortly. The transaction is subject
to the relevant regulatory approvals.

Note for the editor:

Wolters Kluwer is a multinational information services company with 
annual revenues of more than EUR 3.8 billion, employing 20,000 
people in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. The company's 
core activities are Legal, Tax & Business, Health, and Education. 
The Wolters Kluwer shares are quoted on the Euronext Amsterdam. 
Preliminary results will be announced in January 2003. The financial
results for the year 2002 will be announced on March 11, 2003.

Internet www.wolterskluwer.com ,www.tenhagenstam.nl,www.sdu.nl