The catalytic activity of binary vanadium-molybdenum and vanadium-tungsten oxide systems was examined in the ethylene glycol oxidation process. High activity in the partial oxidation of ethylene glycol yielding formaldehyde and formic acid was exhibited by the catalysts containing up to 30 mol % of metal oxide introduced into V2O5. An increase in the amount of cocatalyst (more than 30 mol %) changes the pathway of the process toward the formation of ethylene glycol ethers.