Brasília, December 11, 2025 — Brazil CADE has approved a settlement with Google in an investigation examining alleged exclusionary practices linked to the Android mobile ecosystem, closing a probe into contractual restrictions imposed on device manufacturers and mobile operators.
The agreement, formalized through a Termo de Compromisso de Cessação (TCC), addresses concerns arising from three contracts used by Google in Brazil: the Anti-Fragmentation Agreement (AFA/ACC), the Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA) and the Revenue Sharing Agreement (RSA).
Concerns
According to CADE’s General Superintendence, clauses in these agreements could have restricted competition by conditioning access to key Android services on the pre-installation, preferential placement, or exclusivity of Google apps, including Google Search and Google Chrome.
The authority found that such conditions risked limiting manufacturers’ commercial freedom and reinforcing Google’s position in mobile search and browser markets.
Commitments and Oversight
Under the settlement, Google committed not to tie Google Play licensing to the pre-installation or prominent placement of Google Search or Chrome and to refrain from retaliating against manufacturers that choose not to adopt those apps. The company also agreed to renounce exclusivity clauses and to stop linking revenue-sharing payments under the RSA to exclusive use of Google’s search services.
Additional commitments include transparency obligations, formal notification of partners regarding the new terms and ongoing monitoring by CADE’s General Superintendence. The agreement also sets deadlines for communicating the revised conditions to device manufacturers and mobile operators.
CADE President and reporting commissioner Gustavo Augusto said the settlement offers an efficient and proportionate resolution aligned with international enforcement practice. He added that the commitments eliminate identified risks while preserving the technical efficiencies of the Android compatibility model.
Following approval, the administrative inquiry is suspended pending full compliance. The agreement must be signed within 30 days and will be published subject to confidentiality protections.
