The invention relates to a floor covering adhesive composition, based on an aqueous, emulsifier-stabilized polymer dispersion of vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, containing A) tackifying resin, B) one or more fillers, and C) a vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer in the form of an emulsifier-stabilized aqueous dispersion, characterized in that the vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer is obtained by radical-initiated emulsion polymerization in an aqueous medium, of a) 60 to 89.9% by weight of vinyl acetate, b) 10 to 36% by weight of ethylene, c) 0 to 2% by weight of one or more monomers selected from the group of vinyl esters of carboxylic acids having 8 to 12 C atoms and acrylic acid alkyl esters having a C1 to C8 alkyl radical, d) 0.1 to 5% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated auxiliary monomers having a carboxylic acid group, amide group, nitrile group or sulfonic acid (salt) group, wherein the percentages stated in % by weight are each in relation to the total weight of the comonomers and add up to 100% by weight, and the polymerization is carried out in the presence of one or more emulsifiers.