Katharina Weiner is a certified specialist lawyer for public procurement law and advises companies, investors and public sector entities on all aspects of German and EU public procurement law. She regularly assists both contracting authorities and bidders with the structuring and implementation of complex procurement projects and represents clients in procurement and review proceedings.
A particular focus of Katharina’s practice is the healthcare sector. She advises pharmaceutical, medical device, biotechnology and healthcare companies on the public procurement law requirements applicable to complex procurement projects, particularly those involving innovative products and technologies.
Katharina also advises German and international companies in the defence and security industry on regulatory and public procurement law issues. Her practice particularly focuses on supporting market entry into the German and European defence markets and navigating the legal requirements of a highly regulated environment.
She also regularly advises on M&A transactions, reorganisations and joint ventures. Her work includes advising clients on the public procurement implications of acquisitions, investments and public financing arrangements.
Katharina also has extensive experience in State aid and regulatory law. She advises clients on investment projects throughout Germany and Europe as well as matters relating to public funding. Her practice combines public procurement, State aid and regulatory expertise, particularly in sectors characterised by
significant government involvement and complex regulatory frameworks.
Katharina is admitted to the Bar in Germany and is a certified specialist lawyer for public procurement law (Fachanwältin für Vergaberecht). She has been recognised for many years by leading legal directories for her expertise in public procurement law.
Languages: German, English
References
Advised a non-EU defence company on its participation in public procurement procedures for military vehicle programmes across multiple EU jurisdictions
Advised a non-EU high-tech defence company on compliance with European defence and public funding programmes, including corporate structuring, localization requirements, and engagement with public sector stakeholders
Advised a global professional services company with a significant defence sector presence on participation in European procurement procedures and EU defence funding programmes, including compliance with procurement and public sector requirements
Advised a leading automotive company on its entry into the defence sector, including the regulatory framework governing the manufacture of defence products, security clearance requirements, and strategic cooperation structures with defence industry participants
Advised an international automotive supplier on its entry into the defence industry, including regulatory frameworks governing the im- and export of defence and dual-use products, and strategic cooperation structures with defence industry participants
Advised Thales on the defence-related aspects of its €1.66 billion carve-out and sale of its rail transportation business to Hitachi, with a particular focus on the transfer of government contracts
Advised several pharmaceutical companies on the first nationwide attempts of tender for biosimilar rebate contracts under Section 130a SGB V, involving an estimated market volume exceeding €3 billion
Regularly advise leading pharmaceutical and life sciences companies on public procurement, reimbursement, tendering, and market access matters
Advised a German state ministry on the procurement of an innovative digital platform enabling seamless access to public and social services
Advised a federal public-law entity on the procurement of enterprise-wide software licences and related strategic IT sourcing matters
Advised a federal public-law entity on the restructuring of its IT procurement organisation and the establishment of a joint procurement function with other public-sector entities
Advised a multinational medical technology company on the strategic implications of the European Commission’s International Procurement Instrument (Regulation (EU) 2025/1197), including market access and compliance requirements, and the evaluation of alternative manufacturing and supply chain structures to ensure continued eligibility for participation in EU public procurement procedures
Advised a multinational medical equipment company on the strategic implications of the European Commission’s International Procurement Instrument (Regulation (EU) 2025/1197), including market access and compliance requirements
CV
Katharina studied law at Ruhr University Bochum, where she also obtained her doctoral degree (Dr. iur., summa cum laude). She completed her legal traineeship at the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf.
Before joining BLOMSTEIN, Katharina spent many years advising national and international clients at leading international law firms on public procurement, State aid and regulatory law matters. Prior to entering private practice, she worked in the field of public procurement law at the European Commission in Brussels and completed the Government Contracts Program at The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.
Selected Publications
Chapter on Regulatory Areas/Procurement (section 20 E), in: Kästle/Svernlöv (eds.), Legal Due Diligence in International M&A Transactions, C.H. Beck, 1st edition 2022 (with Dietz-Polte/Altschwager/Pflüger/Heinickel/Butler)
Chapter on Grundsätze des Vergaberechts (section 1) und Nachhaltigkeit im Beschaffungswesen (section 22), in: Gabriel/Krohn/Neun (eds.), Handbuch des Vergaberechts, C.H. Beck
Chapter on Public Procurement in Social Law and on Sections 130 GWB and 64f VgV, in: Willenbruch/Wieddekind (eds.), Vergaberecht Kompaktkommentar, Werner Verlag
Chapter on Social Procurement, in: Goede/Stoye/Stolz (eds.), Handbuch des Fachanwalts Vergaberecht, Werner Verlag, 1st edition 2017
Chapter on Procurement Issues and Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the Healthcare Sector, in: Huster/Kaltenborn (eds.), Krankenhausrecht Handbuch, 2nd edition 2017 (with Nina-Annette Reit-Born)
Regular author of contributions to the forum vergabe e.V. Literature Guide
Selected Presentations
From Policy to Deployment, Panel Discussion at AI in Defence Summit 2026, 2 February 2026, Brussels
Defence Tech - innovation gaps and how governments and industry can work together to accelerate delivery, Panel Discussion at Transatlantic Defence Tech Conference, 10 March 2026 Warsaw
European Union: Europe’s “Buy Local” Defense Strategy, Workshop: Mission Ready: Bereit für den europäischen und deutschen Verteidigungsmarkt der Zukunft, 4 March 2026, Frankfurt