Process for the production of a flouroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer

A process for producing a fluoroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer, which comprises a polymerization step of copolymerizing a fluoroolefin represented by the following formula (1) and a vinyl ether represented by the following formula (2), and a deprotection step of substituting R1 in polymerized units based on the vinyl ether in the copolymer obtained in the polymerization step, with a hydrogen atom to form a hydroxy group:

• CF2═CFX (1)
• CH2═CHOR1 (2)
• wherein X is a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group or —OCaF2a+1 wherein a is an integer of from 1 to 3, and R1 is a protective group to be substituted with a hydrogen atom by a deprotection reaction
• wherein R1 in the formula (2) is —CR2R3R4 wherein each of R2, R3 and R4 which are independent of one another, is a C1-3 alkyl group, a C1-6 alkoxymethyl group, a tetrahydrofuryl group, a tetrahydropyranyl group or a trialkylsilyl group —Si(R5)3 wherein R5 is a C1-6 alkyl group or an aryl group.