A process for preparing hydroxyethyl ethylene amines and/or ethylene urea derivatives thereof includes reacting monoethylene glycol with an amine-functional compound having at least two —NH— units, of which at least one is selected from the group of primary amine groups and cyclic secondary amine groups, in the presence of a carbon oxide-delivering agent. The amine-functional compound includes at least one —NH—CH2-CH2-NH— unit, wherein one or more —NH—CH2-CH2-NH— units in the amine-functional compound may be present in the form of piperazine moieties or ethylene urea moieties. The molar ratio of amine-functional compound to monoethylene glycol is in the range of 0.2:1 to 1.5:1 and the molar ratio of carbon oxide-delivering agent to —NH—CH2-CH2-NH— units in the amine-functional compound is at least 0.5:1. The process allows the conversion of monoethylene glycol into ethanol amines in the absence of metals-containing catalysts and without using ammonia.