The present invention provides a process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the process at least comprising the steps of: (a) providing an ethane-containing stream (10); (b) subjecting the ethane-containing stream (10) provided in step (a) to oxidative dehydrogenation, thereby obtaining a stream (20) containing at least ethylene, water and acetic acid; (c) separating acetic acid from the stream (20) obtained in step (b), thereby obtaining a concentrated acetic acid stream (60) and a first ethylene-enriched stream (40); (d) subjecting the concentrated acetic acid stream (60) obtained in step (c) to hydrogenation thereby obtaining an ethanol-containing stream (80); and (e) subjecting the ethanol-containing stream (80) obtained in step (d) to dehydration thereby obtaining a second ethylene-enriched stream (90).