Coating composition comprising (I) cross-linkable basic acrylic component, in which there are present, in polymerized form, (a) 2 to 10(A)% of at least one dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, (b) 0.5 to 5(B)% of at least one acrylic amide, (c) 0.5 to 20(C)% of at least one hydroxyalkyl acrylate, (d) 35 to 95% of at least one alkyl acrylate, and (e) 0 to 50% of one or more other monomers, wherein the percentages A, B and C satisfy the relation: ##EQU1## and (II) cross-linking polyepoxide component having an epoxy equivalent of 400 or less, the ratio by gram atom of the basic nitrogen in (I) to the epoxy oxygen in (II) being from 0.3 to 3.0.