Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the isolation of vinyl acetate from a gas mixture containing vinyl acetate, ethyl acetate, water and carbon dioxide formed in the reaction of ethylene with acetic acid and oxygen in the gas phase over catalysts containing palladium or palladium compounds. The gas mixture leaving the reaction zone is passed into a distillation column and the gas mixture leaving the top thereof is cooled. The gas which is not condensed during the cooling is washed with acetic acid in a washing column, an acetic acid solution containing vinyl acetate being obtained. The bottom product from the distillation column is passed to a second distillation column and a side stream containing ethyl acetate is removed from an enrichment zone above the bottom thereof, all or some of the bottom product from the second distillation column, which product chiefly consists of acetic acid, being used for the wash in the washing column. The top vapor of the second distillation column is cooled.