With all due respect to your old man/grandfathers, but what level of reliable information did they have back then to make those calls?
Then you have to ask yourself since 2016 to now.. how far have Europe got towards this conglomerate or USE? Have they got any closer to establishing it? I pretty much doubt it.. and I don’t buy into that. Give me some examples.

I agree it should all be about trade though and some freedom of movement.