In a Friday announcement, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) revealed that publishing biggie Macmillan has worked out a settlement with the government in the antitrust case in which five US publishers were accused of a conspiracy to drive up the prices of e-books.

According to the DoJ, the proposed settlement between the agency and Macmillan has been filed in the US District Court in Manhattan; and requires the approval of a judge.

With the DoJ revealing that Macmillan has agreed to end restrictions on discounting in its e-book business, the proposed settlement would make Macmillan the fifth and last US book publisher to settle the antitrust case with the government.

The other four publishers - sued by the government in April 2012, for colluding to raise e-book prices - have already settled with the government. These four publishers include Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster.

About the potential impact of Macmillan's proposed settlement of the e-book antitrust case with the government, Jamillia Ferris - chief of staff of the department's Antitrust Division - said in the news release that, similar to the effect of the settlements with other publishers, the Justice Department lawyers "expect the prices of Macmillan's e-books will also decline."