German carmaker Daimler has renewed its commitment to a EADS shareholder pool, leaving a politically sensitive Franco-German balance of power at the European aerospace group intact.

Daimler holds 22.5 percent of the voting rights in EADS but shares its stake with a group of 15 investors from the public and private sector, in effect giving Daimler a 15 percent stake and the other investors 7.5 percent.

The accord was worked out in 2007 with the help of the German government.

The agreement includes an option for Daimler to end this structure as of July 1, 2010. Following consultation with the investor consortium, Daimler will not make use of this option. The existing ownership structure and other arrangements remain unaffected, it said in a statement on Friday.

EADS is controlled by Daimler and a French entity comprising media group Lagardere and the French state. The balance between German and French managers and members of the board of directors is a sensitive issue at the company.

Daimler said this month it may have to book a significant charge in its current business year for indirect exposure to EADS' delayed A400M program.

(Reporting by Michael Shields and Maria Sheahan)

Daimler AG