Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a silver catalyst suitable for the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide, characterized in that a silver compound and, if desired, a promoter are applied to a carrier, after which the silver compound is reduced to metallic silver, and in which process the carrier has been prepared by mixing an aluminum compound with an alkali metal hydroxide and with an organic fluorine compound and by calcining the obtained mixture, to the silver catalysts prepared by means of this process and to the use of the silver catalysts in the preparation of ethylene oxide.