The EU4Justice organised a specialised training in Tirana on 20 November to strengthen judgment-drafting skills among judges and legal advisors of the High Court. The event aimed to promote clearer and more coherent judicial decisions, enhance consistency in case law, and improve the accessibility of court reasoning for the public. Bringing together legal advisors and staff of the High Court’s Documentation Centre, the training—delivered by an EU4Justice expert from the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation—offered an interactive, practice-oriented learning format aligned with the needs of daily judicial work.

In her opening remarks, Ms Arta Vorpsi, Director of Cabinet of the Chair of High Court, underlined the challenges currently encountered in drafting High Court decisions, including the need for strengthened reasoning, unified templates, and alignment with contemporary judicial standards. She emphasised the importance of translating the training’s results into a practical vademecum to guide future drafting. Mr Arturo Valdes, EU4Justice Key Expert and Senior Judge, and Mr Gianluigi Pratola, Vice General Prosecutor at the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation and EU4Justice short-term expert, also addressed participants, reaffirming the project’s support to the High Court in enhancing legal reasoning and harmonisation practices.

The training drew extensively on best practices from the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation, particularly in judicial harmonisation, structured reasoning, and effective communication of legal conclusions. Through hands-on group exercises, participants drafted abstracts and massimma(legal maxims)from actual rulings, working with examples from the Italian Supreme Court to explore methods of simplification, clarity of language, and improved structure.

Participants also examined national drafting practices to identify areas for improvement and to develop practical approaches for ensuring clarity, coherence, and consistency across High Court decisions. Guided exercises and expert input reinforced the application of streamlined reasoning techniques and the use of concise, accessible formats in line with European best practices. By consolidating skills and promoting the exchange of expertise, the training contributed to strengthening institutional capacities within the High Court and supports Albania’s broader efforts to improve the quality, predictability, and transparency of judicial decision-making.