A process for the preparation of fluoroformates of the formula wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted and primary or secondary aliphatic, a saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted secondary cycloaliphatic or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic, and n is equal to 1, 2 or 3, comprising reacting a corresponding chloroformate of formula I with an alkali metal fluoride in ethylene carbonate at a temperature wherein the ethylene carbonate is liquid whereby it is possible to very rapidly obtain the fluoroformates with excellent yields and high purity.