The trouble is that mankind does not seem intelligent enough to learn from past experience.
Every attempt throughout history to coerce nation states to amalgamate into a federation has resulted in failure. The amalgamations eventually broke up, often violently. The most recent example (and the fact that there was not more violence than there was is more luck than judgement) was the Soviet Union.
At the moment the EU is at a crossroads. There are signs that it is creaking at the seams, particularly bearing in mind that its one and only apparent success – partial monetary union – is on the verge of failure (mainly because it came about through ideological dogma and insufficient thought was given to the consequences). The grandees who oversee matters EU will do all they can to ensure it limps on for as long as possible. As has been pointed out, they have taken it upon themselves to enrich their lifestyles and obviously do not want to see their riches snatched away by something as trifling as the will of the people.
To suggest that the UK government should “sign off” its accounts in the same way that the EU has failed to do is a fatuous argument. As unsatisfactory as it is, the UK has a democratic system which gives voters the chance to change a government if they do not like the amount of money they pay in taxes and the way it is spent. They have no such option with the EU and some different form of accountability is necessary.
The EU will eventually collapse. Unfortunately I think it will be later rather than sooner and not before untold damage has been done to the economies and wellbeing of many of the nation states. No, we were not forced to join, but since we did the aims of the club, the membership and the rules have changed beyond recognition and the electorate deserves another say on whether they still wish to be members.