Protective-colloid-stabilized polymers in the form of their aqueous dispersions or of their water-redispersible powders are based on homo- or copolymers of one or more monomers from the group consisting of vinyl esters of optionally branched alkyl carboxylic acids having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, (meth)acrylic esters of alcohols having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, vinylaromatics, olefins, dienes, and vinyl halides, wherein partially hydrolyzed vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers with an ethylene content of from 1 to 15 mol %, a degree of hydrolysis DH of the vinyl acetate units of 80 mol %