A panel comprising a panel core (3, 3'), a panel top surface (4, 4'), a lower panel surface and at least one first edge pair of complementary positively locking holding profiles (6, 7) at mutually opposite panel edges, wherein one of the holding profiles has a locking groove with a distally projecting upper groove wall and a lower groove wall which projects distally further than the upper groove wall, and comprising a holding bar which projects at the free end of the lower groove wall in the direction of the panel top surface and has a free upper bar end and at least one undercut holding surface, wherein said holding surface is directed towards the panel core and delimits in the lower groove wall a recess which is behind the holding bar, wherein the complementary holding profile is provided with a locking tongue which has at least one undercut contact surface which is directed towards the panel core and in the assembled condition co-operates with the holding surface of the holding bar, wherein the locking tongue has a tongue underside and a tongue top side of which the tongue top side has a distal end and a proximal end and is straight or curved and is arranged inclinedly relative to the perpendicular on the panel top surface (4, 4') so that the distal end is further away from the panel top surface (4, 4') and the proximal end reaches closer to the panel top surface (4, 4'), wherein in the assembled state there is a play which includes a vertical play and a horizontal play (P, P') so that the holding profiles (6, 7) are movable perpendicularly to the panel top surface (4, 4') and are movable in a direction which is perpendicular to the panel edges (2, 2') and at the same time parallel to the panel top surface (4, 4'), and wherein an inside of the upper groove wall is of a straight or curved shape matching the tongue top side and relative to the perpendicular to the panel surface (4, 4') has an angle of inclination (a) which is such that the inclined tongue top side and the inside of the upper groove wall are in surface contact in the mutually displaced state, characterised in that in that the holding profiles (6, 7) are designed such that the tongue underside of a new panel of the type of the panel can be placed on the holding bar of a lying panel, and the holding profiles (6, 7) can then be moved towards one another by displacement of this new panel in a direction parallel to the panel plane, so that the panel edges can be locked almost horizontally, i.e. lying in the panel plane, an edge break is provided between the free upper bar end of the holding bar and its lower holding surface, wherein the edge break forms a free surface which has a distal upper end and a proximal end and is of a straight or curved shape, and wherein the free surface has an angle of inclination β relative to the perpendicular on the panel top surface (4, 4'), with the proviso that in a joining step the tongue underside of the locking tongue can be placed horizontally on the holding bar of the locking groove and then the tongue top side is slidable against the inside of the upper groove wall and that at the end of said joining step the distal end of the tongue top side contacts the inside of the upper groove wall in the region of the panel core.