Michelin suspected of abuse of market power -report

PARIS, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Tyre manufacturer Michelin (MICP.PA) is suspected of abusing its market power in France by the French Ministry of Finance who has given the case to the competition council, French daily Le Figaro reports.

Michelin informed its distributors at the end of 2007 that it would cut commercial advantages to distributors linked directly or indirectly to a rival tyre maker, the paper said.

Le Figaro said tyre distributor Vulco, which is linked to Michelin's U.S. rival Goodyear (GT.N), complained to DGCCRF (the General Directorate for Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control), a unit of the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Finance and Michelin had no immediate comment. (Reporting by Jessica Mead; Editing by Louise Ireland)