Abstract: Unreacted ethylene contained in a gaseous light ends stream derived from a process for the production of ethyl acrylate from ethylene and acrylic acid utilizing a sulfuric acid catalyst, is recovered by intimately contacting, under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure, the light ends stream with the liquid sulfuric acid catalyst make-up stream which is passed to the ethyl acrylate process. Upon contact of the light ends stream with the sulfuric acid make-up stream, the ethylene reacts with sulfuric acid to form ethyl hydrogen sulfate and diethyl sulfate, both of which remain in solution in the sulfuric acid which is then passed to the ethyl acrylate process as a source of make-up sulfuric acid. Sulfur dioxide contained in the vent-gas stream is not absorbed into the sulfuric acid, and therefore not recycled to the ethyl acrylate process.