also striving for independence represent thirty one percent of italy s economy. if one of these regions does gain independence it must first exit the e.u. the date for the re entry would be uncertain. if claude was here if a few hours from i think it would sooner be five years than five weeks or months if catalonia were to be accepted immediately as an independent state then all the region still applying for membership would have every right to complaining of the matrics of. the two it. venice and the rest would have to go to the back of the line none of the affected regions are willing to compromise the conflicts for independence will weigh down on europe for years to come. general electric has announced it will shed more than twenty billion us dollars worth of assets in the coming months that s with g.e. s new c.e.o.