Chromium-free surface treatment

A process for the preparation of metal surfaces of iron, zinc, or aluminum or their alloys for the subsequent application of organic coatings by applying a phosphate coating by means of wetting with a phosphatizing liquid, containing at least one metal cation of valence two or greater, and subsequent drying in situ of the liquid film, characterized in that the metal surface is wetted with a phosphatizing liquid, which possesses a pH-value of from 1.5 to 3.0, is free from chromium and, apart from metal phosphate, contains at least one ion selected from the group consisting of soluble molybdate, tungstate, vanadate, niobate and tantalate ions wherein the molecular ratio of metal phosphate, calculated as Me.sup.n+ (H.sub.2 PO.sub.4).sub.n, wherein n is an integer of two or more, to molybdate, tungstate, vanadate, niobate and/or tantalate ion, calculated as MoO.sub.3, WO.sub.3, V.sub.2 O.sub.5, Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 and Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, lies within the range of 1:0.4 to 0.01.