The invention relates to a process for the production of granules or powders, suitable as coating agents and binders for oral or dermal pharmaceutical forms, for cosmetics or food supplements, consisting essentially of (a) a copolymer, consisting of free radical-polymerized C1- to C4-esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid and further (meth)acrylate monomers which contain functional tertiary amino groups, (b) 3 to 25% by weight, based on (a), of an emulsifier having an HLB of at least 14, (c) 5 to 50% by weight, based on (a), of a C.sub.12- to C.sub.18-monocarboxylic acid or of a C.sub.12- to C.sub.18-hydroxyl compound, where the components (a), (b) and (c) are simultaneously or successively blended or mixed with one another, optionally with addition of a pharmaceutical active compound and/or further customary additives, fused in a heatable mixer, mixed, the melt is cooled and comminuted to give granules or powders.