The Google Play Mediation Scheme

Developers who have an issue or complaint regarding Google’s application of Google Play’s policies to apps offered through Google Play to users in the EEA may challenge an enforcement action through Google Play’s internal appeals process.  Additional information on how to launch an appeal is available on this page. 

If you are not satisfied with Googles’ determination of your appeal and you are a developer offering apps to users in the EEA pursuant to the General Conditions of Access for Google Play in the EEA, you may also initiate mediation using the application process set out below. 

• contact information
• a summary of the facts and issues (no more than 500 words),
• availability to attend mediation within 15-45 business days of the date of submission of the application.

Please click here to complete the online application form.

Once the application to mediate is submitted by the developer to CEDR, CEDR will contact Google to confirm that Google has not been able to resolve the dispute through the internal appeals process and has agreed to mediation.

Google will have 10 business days to agree to the mediation request or otherwise inform CEDR on the status of the internal appeal of the matter. Mediation is voluntary and neither the developer nor Google is obliged to mediate a dispute, except where required by law.

• appoint a suitable mediator from its panel
• set the date of mediation
• provide guidance preparation including on the form of content of case summaries and supporting documentation

Within 5 business days of the appointment the mediator will contact the parties to agree to the procedural timeline, including the date for submission and exchange of case summaries and additional relevant documents, and arrange a private pre-mediation video call with each party.

CEDR will issue a Mediation Agreement for execution by electronic signature. Both parties will need to sign the Mediation Agreement in advance of the mediation which includes important provisions with regard to the role of the mediator and confidentiality of the process. Once the Mediation Agreement is signed all parties will receive a copy of the completed version via automated email.

On or before the date agreed with the mediator, the Parties will submit written case summaries to the mediator and exchange these with each other. To allow time for preparation it is recommended that case summaries are exchanged no less than 10 business days before the mediation joint session.

It is vital that each party ensures its case summary includes all the facts, points and issues it wishes to raise at the mediation so that these can be considered in advance to ensure the joint mediation session is used efficiently and productively. The case summary should also include a clear statement of what you would like to achieve at the mediation. It will be provided to both the mediator and the other party and should be drafted with this in mind.

Please find CEDR’s Case Summary Guidance here and a template document here.

You may also wish to provide the mediator with a chronology, list of roles and responsibilities, and/or a glossary of technical terms.

The mediator will invite the parties to attend a separate and private introductory call prior to the mediation, and the parties will confirm the list of mediation attendees to the mediator.

The mediator will issue invitations for the parties to attend mediation which will be arranged to take place online and will usually take place within 30-45 business days after the initial application.

Up to 7 hours of time has been allocated for each case which includes both preparation and the mediation session. Typically, this would mean 3 hours preparation and 4 hour online mediation session. However, the time can be used flexibly, and it will be for the mediator to decide how best to use the time allocation between mediation and preparation.

If the parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement, the terms are documented in a final and binding settlement agreement. If no agreement is reached, the mediation will be concluded without result unless the parties agree to extend the duration of the mediation to facilitate reaching an agreement within a specified further period of time.