The present invention relates to water-soluble or water-dispersible copolymers obtainable by free-radical polymerization of

• a) 80 to 20% by weight of hydroxy-C₁-C₆-alkyl (meth)acrylate and, where appropriate, one or more compounds of the formula (A) or (B)

##STR1##

• with R¹=H, C₁-C₆-alkyl,
• R²=H, CH₃
• R³=C₁-C₂₄-alkyl
• or mixtures thereof

  in the presence of

• b) 20 to 80% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and
• c) where appropriate 0 to 20% by weight of other polymerizable compounds (C), a process for their preparation, and their use as coating agent, binder and/or film-forming excipient in pharmaceutical dosage forms.