The invention relates to a process for preparing a propiolic acid or a derivative thereof by reacting a terminal alkyne with carbon dioxide, which comprises performing the reaction in the presence of a base and a copper complex, especially a copper (I) complex having at least one ligand, at least one of the ligands of the copper complex being selected from monodentate ligands which have an aminic or iminic nitrogen atom capable of coordination with copper, and polydentate ligands having at least two atoms or atom groups which are capable of simultaneous coordination with copper and are selected from nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus and carbene carbon.