BAE and EADS reject higher French and German stakes in merged company Europe's two biggest powers may try to secure a 27pc combined shareholding, according to reports, but that would be vehemently opposed by both BAE and EADS, which have made it clear their first preference would be to eliminate state ownership altogether if a proposed £30bn merger were to go ahead. A combined Franco-German stake would also be politically unfeasible in Britain and the US, which are both focused on protecting their national interests. "The UK and the US governments would not like it if France and Germany owned so much, it would be intimidating," a source said. Another source said that while there was "a lot of noise" coming from European governments, there would be no question of them securing an increased stake. Meanwhile, EADS appeared to reject the suggestion that the two companies would seek an extension to their October 10 deadline to outline a formal proposal for a deal. Fabrice Brégier, the chief executive of Airbus, said the deadline "may seem soon but it is absolutely necessary given the environment." "This kind of operation requires rapid decisions and it's not EADS or BAE management pushing, it's the markets and the clients, who want to know what the future of the group will be," he told a French newspaper. One person close to EADS said the company wanted to send a clear message to France and Germany that they would not be given an indefinite period of time to consider their conditions for a deal.