A process for the preparation of amorphous copolymers of ethylene with &agr;-olefins and optionally minor amounts of polyenes are disclosed, which have the following characteristics: (A) the % by mole content of &agr;-olefin in the copolymer (%&agr;) and the ratio between the molar amount of &agr;-olefin diads and the molar content of &agr;-olefin in the copolymer (&agr;&agr;/&agr;) satisfy the following relationship: (%&agr;)−250 (&agr;&agr;/&agr;)≧10 (B) less than 2% of the CH2 groups in the polymeric chain are in sequences (CH2)n, wherein n is an even number. These copolymers are obtained by operating in the presence of particular metallocene-based catalysts having two fluorenyl groups joined together through a bridging group.