Waterborne cathodic electrodeposition (CED) coating agents comprising resin solids and optionally pigments, fillers, organic solvents and conventional coating additives, wherein said CED coating agents comprise at least one bismuth salt selected from the group consisting of bismuth hydroxycarboxylic acid salts and bismuth sulfonic acid salts in a quantity of 0.1 to 2.5 wt-%, calculated as bismuth and relative to resin solids content, together with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of yttrium and neodymium compounds in a quantity of 0.1 to 1 wt-%, calculated as metal and relative to resin solids content.