If desired, the vinyl ester-ethylene copolymers can further comprise other monoethylenically unsaturated compounds such as olefins, e.g. propylene, vinylaromatic monomers such as styrene, esters of ??,??-unsaturated monocarboxylic or dicarboxylic acids having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, e.g. acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid or fumaric acid, with alcohols having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.