It’s the EU elections, but why should you care? It’s got nothing to do with you what MEPs in Brussels decide has it? The results of negotiations and politics are abstract and only visible somewhere far away, right? Turns out the EU and its effects are closer to you and more beneficial than you think, in a bunch of everyday ways you’ve probably never even thought about. Here’s five out of thousands to prove it.

1.  You’ll find a little piece of Finland in every country

Like most smaller countries, Finland doesn’t have an embassy in every country. Such necks of the woods include places like Bolivia, New Zealand and the Philippines. It is obviously a shame that Finnish diplomats can’t use their superpower of sauna diplomacy in every country, but thanks to your EU citizenship, you can still get help from any EU embassy anywhere in the world. Wave goodbye to lost passport panic. Hurrah!

2.  Your lakes are cleaner and more fish friendly

We Finns are proud of our abundance of clear lakes and the picturesque coastal line that provide us with leisure and fun all year round. The Finnish way of life wouldn’t be the same without aquatic activities such as a dip in the water after sauna, ice skating on natural ice and fishing. Strict EU legislation and EU supported projects like Freshabit LIFE IP ensure that different bodies of water are kept clean and restored to their original condition.

Thanks to Freshabit project, we can enjoy our life by the water better but also get more out of the lakes and the coast: one aim of the project is to build fish crossings for migratory fish. Thanks to the EU, there’s plenty of fish in Finland and even more chances of catching them.

3.  Roam like at home

Finland being an information society, Finns love their phones and surfing, and everyone hates the hassle of figuring out what it costs whilst abroad. The EU “roam like at home” rule means that whenever you travel within the EU borders, you pay exactly the same price for your operator services that you would in Finland. So next time you go trekking within the EU and text, tweet and post your adventure updates, you can give the EU a thumbs up.

4. You can enjoy the ferry ride to Sweden or Tallinn easier

Nothing beats a weekend spent enjoying the buffet and the dance floor in the ferry to Stockholm or Tallinn. Every year millions of Finns make the journey across the Baltic Sea to get inspired by the Swedish sense of style and to stock up on their supply of intoxicating beverages in Estonia.

What’s the EU’s part in this? Firstly, the free movement of persons ensures there are no board controls or visas needed and you can get around by just flashing your identity card or passport. Second, the established security and safety standards are applied in a harmonised way in all EU countries. Buying booze for your next party has never been simpler or safer.

5. You get to share great Finnish books with the world

Finns read more books than any other nation. Perhaps it’s because of this high level of literacy that Finnish word artists create true gems. and it’s only fair that they should be enjoyed worldwide, too. But good translations don’t come free. Happily, the EU funding supports the translation of works of fiction written in less-used languages. Yes, that means you, Finnish. The EU also promotes literature from smaller countries like Finland. As a consequence, the world gets to better understand the highs (and lows) of Finnish life.

This is just a tiny taster of how MEPs you elect change the world to make your life in it that much better.

Want a say in this? Then be sure to vote!