E-card

e- card is a web-based application that allows you to create personalised animated greeting cards that can then be sent by email, using Microsoft Outlook or another email programme.

e-card is a service created in-house by the European Parliament: concept, design, content and animations (*) by the PUBLIPRO Unit (Publishing Support and Visual Projects Unit) of the EDIT Directorate, DG ITEC. Technical support by the INNOVIT Unit (Innovation, Intranets and Digital Solutions) of the EDIT Directorate, DG ITEC.

(*) The animations are all based on e-card designs approved by the Quaestors.

Simply follow these few steps:

1. Choose a card by selecting one of the animations.
2. Select the language of the card and write your text. You’ll need to give your message a title and a description.
3. Click on "Preview" to check the result.
4. Once your card is ready, open it in Microsoft Outlook, by doing one the following:
   
   
   1. If you are using Internet Explorer on Windows 10, or any other web browser, click on "Open card in an email".
      Your browser will ask if you want to save or open the email file. Click on "Open" and an email will open, containing the e-card. If your browser doesn't ask you and just downloads the email file, you'll need to open the file yourself.
      
      
   2. If you are using Internet Explorer on Windows 7, click on "Open your e-card in Microsoft Outlook".
      An email will open automatically, containing the e-card.
      
      
5. Just add the recipients and subject, and press "Send". That's it!
   
   

The use of e-card is reserved for European Parliament's internal network users.

Most recipients will see the fully animated card upon receiving it, but Microsoft Outlook users will only see a static image. They will, however, be able to watch the animation by clicking on a link contained in the email.

The e-card application does not store your text, nor process any personal data. It only creates HTML content which can then be saved or sent using another software. The only items stored on EP servers are the animations, images and HTML templates used to create the e-cards.

That button is only available on Windows 7 when using e-card in Internet Explorer and with Microsoft Outlook already running. It appears at the bottom of the "Write your e-card" screen, next to the "Preview", "Save as HTML" and "Open card in an email" buttons.

Indeed, since e-card stays open on your desktop, sometimes it hides the newly created email. Please check the Windows bar at the bottom of your screen and switch to Microsoft Outlook to display the email window.

Microsoft Outlook only shows the first image of the animation. However, even if you see a static image, all recipients not using Microsoft Outlook will see the animation.

Note also that the EP webmail uses Microsoft Outlook Web App, which displays the full animations.

If you use another web browser, or if you use Windows 10, the "Open your e-card in Microsoft Outlook" button will not be available. You will have to use the "Open card in an email" button instead.

Once your e-card is ready, you can click on this button to save the card as a file with HTML format. You can then use this file to send the e-card using one of the following methods:

First method: attaching the e-card as text

1. Create an empty email using your usual email programme.
2. Attach the saved e-card HTML file to your empty email using the "Insert as text" option if available.
3. Add a subject and the recipients, and send the message.

Second method: copying and pasting

1. Create an empty email using your usual email programme.
2. Open/display the saved e-card HTML file in a web browser.
3. Select the whole e-card and copy it (e.g. on a PC: use Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-C).
4. Paste it into your empty email (e.g. on a PC: use Ctrl-V).
5. Add a subject and the recipients, and send the message.
   
   

You can click on the "Open card in an email" button, or on the "Save as HTML" button and use one of the methods described above.