The invention pertains to an aqueous coating composition comprising: —an aqueous latex of a copolymer consisting essentially of recurring units derived (i) from vinylidene chloride (VDC), (ii) from vinyl chloride (VC), (iii) from one or more than one alkyl (meth)acrylate having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group [monomer (MA)] and (iv) from one or more than one aliphatic alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acids [monomer (AA)], the proportion of recurring units derived from monomer (AA) being of at least 1.0 wt %, with respect to the total weight of the copolymer [copolymer (A)], wherein: (A) the said copolymer (A) is stable against dehydrochlorination, in a manner such that the total chloride content of the solid residue of the aqueous latex, after thermal treatment at about 120° C. for 2 hours, is of less than 1000 ppm, with respect to the total weight of the copolymer (A); (B) the said copolymer (A) does not to undergo any significant crystallization upon heating, in a manner such that the ratio of (j) its crystallinity index (CI) after a thermal treatment involving heating at 60° C. for 48 hours to (jj) its crystallinity index before such thermal treatment (Clafter thermal treatment/CIbefore thermal treament) is less than 1.15; and —at least one anti-corrosion pigment comprising an aluminium salt of a (poly)phosphoric acid modified with an alkaline earth metal oxide [pigment (P)]; —at least one non-ionic surfactant [surfactant (NS)]; and —at least one inorganic filler [filler (I)] different from pigment (P), in an amount such that the overall pigment volume concentration (PVC), comprehensive of pigment (P) and filler (I), is comprised from 20 to 40% vol., when determined with respect to the dried coating composition.