Abstract: The present invention relates to a powder coating composition containing as binder one or more than one poly(meth)acrylic resin having free carboxyl groups and, as hardener for these poly(meth)acrylic resins, one or more than one epoxy resin having a molecular weight of up to 1500, wherein the epoxy resins comprise at least 70% by weight of glycidyl esters which are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic polyglycidyl polycarboxylates. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coating composition, which is free of carboxyl-functional polyesters, comprising a binder consisting of one or more than one poly(meth)acrylic resin having free carboxyl groups and, as hardener for the poly(meth)acrylic resin, one or more than one epoxy resin having a molecular weight of up to 1500, wherein the epoxy resin is a cycloaliphatic polyglycidyl polycarboxylate or mixtures thereof.