Method and plant for the manufacture of carboxylic acid ester by means of a reactive distillation

Carboxylic acid ester is produced by esterification of carboxylic acid and an alcohol in a catalytic reaction zone of a first column at a pressure not greater than ambient pressure. The resultant sump product is distilled in a reaction zone of a second column at a pressure greater than 1.5 bar to obtain a second liquid sump product containing carboxylic acid ester with an carboxylic acid content of less than 100 ppm by weight at a lower end of the column. Neutralization of the second liquid sump product with a base is not required.