diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 25b5f172590c07b9aec9fcc20114c1f0fc669ef4..94c6b879f4808675826d6411848a160a1ca45830 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -226,18 +226,17 @@ It is bound to the `test` stage, and uses the following variables:
 
 This job outputs a **textual report** in the console, and in case of failure also exports a JSON report in the `reports/`
 directory _(relative to project root dir)_.
-
 ### Package jobs
 
 #### `py-package` job
 
-This job is performs a packaging of your Python code.
+This job is **disabled by default** and performs a packaging of your Python code.
 
 It is bound to the `package-build` stage, applies only on git tags and uses the following variables:
 
 | Name            | description                                          | default value |
 | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------- |
-| `PYTHON_FORCE_PACKAGE` | Force the packaging even if not on tag related event | _none_        |
+| `PYTHON_FORCE_PACKAGE` | Set to `true` to force the packaging even if not on tag related event | _none_ (disabled) |
 
 ### Publish jobs
 
diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
index 022ce5aa068b8809e3ab386887a2b86e3d580800..59329dc7a6d115685939952e1e928c83e6eb762a 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
@@ -69,90 +69,9 @@ variables:
     fi
   }
 
-  function install_test_requirements() {
-    if [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
-      if  [[ ! -f "poetry.lock" ]]; then 
-        log_error "Poetry detected but \\e[33;1mpoetry.lock\\e[0m file not found: you shall commit it with your project files"
-        exit 1 
-      fi
-      log_info "--- Poetry detected: generating \\e[33;1m${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}\\e[0m from poetry.lock"      
-      pip install poetry
-      poetry export --without-hashes ${PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS:+--extras "$PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS"} --dev -f requirements.txt --output "${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    fi
-
-    if [[ -f "${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- installing from ${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE} file"
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} -r "${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    else
-      log_info "--- no test requirements file found from env or file ${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE} does not exist"
-    fi
-  }
 
-  function install_requirements() {
-    if  [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
-      if  [[ ! -f "poetry.lock" ]]; then 
-        log_error "Poetry detected but \\e[33;1mpoetry.lock\\e[0m file not found: you shall commit it with your project files"
-        exit 1 
-      fi
-      log_info "--- Poetry detected: generating \\e[33;1m${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}\\e[0m from poetry.lock"      
-      pip install poetry
-      poetry export --without-hashes ${PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS:+--extras "$PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS"} -f requirements.txt --output "${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    fi
 
-    if [[ -f "${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- installing from ${REQUIREMENTS_FILE} file"
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} -r "${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    elif [[ -f "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- installing from ${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py file"
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/"
-    else
-      log_info "--- no requirements or setup.py file found from env or file ${REQUIREMENTS_FILE} - ${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py does not exist"
-    fi
-  }
-
-  function install_doc_requirements() {
-    if [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
-      if  [[ ! -f "poetry.lock" ]]; then 
-        log_error "Poetry detected but \\e[33;1mpoetry.lock\\e[0m file not found: you shall commit it with your project files"
-        exit 1 
-      fi
-      log_info "--- Poetry detected: generating \\e[33;1m${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}\\e[0m from poetry.lock"     
-      pip install poetry
-      poetry export --without-hashes ${PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS:+--extras "$PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS"} -f requirements.txt --output "${DOCS_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    fi
-
-    if [[ -f "${DOCS_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- installing from ${DOCS_REQUIREMENTS_FILE} file"
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} -r "${DOCS_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
-    elif [[ -f "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- installing from ${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py file"
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/"
-    else
-      log_info "--- no doc requirements file found from env or file ${DOCS_REQUIREMENTS_FILE} - ${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py does not exist"
-    fi
-  }
 
-  function release_args() {
-    if [[ -f ".bumpversion.cfg" ]]; then
-      log_info "--- .bumpversion.cfg file found "
-      export bumpversion_args="${RELEASE_VERSION_PART} --verbose"
-    else
-      log_info "---  No .bumpversion.cfg file found "
-      if [[ -f "setup.py" ]]; then
-        log_info "---  Getting current version of setup.py file "
-        current_version=$(python setup.py --version)
-        export bumpversion_args=" --verbose --current-version ${current_version} --tag --tag-name {new_version} --commit ${RELEASE_VERSION_PART} setup.py"
-      else
-        log_warn "---  No setup.py file found. Cannot perform release."
-      fi
-    fi
-    log_info "--- Release args: ${bumpversion_args}"
-  }
 
   function install_ca_certs() {
     certs=$1
@@ -289,6 +208,113 @@ variables:
     log_info "... done"
   }
 
+  # install requirements
+  # arg1: 'build' (build only) or 'test' (build + test)
+  function install_requirements() {
+    target=$1
+    if  [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
+      if  [[ ! -f "poetry.lock" ]]; then 
+        log_error "Poetry detected but \\e[33;1mpoetry.lock\\e[0m file not found: you shall commit it with your project files"
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      pip install -U poetry
+      if [[ "$target" == "build" ]]; then
+        log_info "--- Poetry detected: install build only requirements"
+        poetry install --no-dev ${PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS:+--extras "$PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS"}
+      else
+        log_info "--- Poetry detected: install build and dev requirements"      
+        poetry install ${PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS:+--extras "$PYTHON_POETRY_EXTRAS"}
+      fi
+    elif [[ -f "${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}" ]]; then
+      log_info "--- installing build requirements from \\e[33;1m${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}\\e[0m"
+      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} -r "${REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
+      if [[ "$target" == "test" ]] && [[ -f "${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}" ]]; then
+        log_info "--- installing test requirements from \\e[33;1m${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}\\e[0m"
+        # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+        pip install ${PIP_OPTS} -r "${TEST_REQUIREMENTS_FILE}"
+      fi
+    elif [[ -f "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py" ]]; then
+      log_info "--- installing requirements from \\e[33;1m${SETUP_PY_DIR}/setup.py\\e[0m"
+      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+      pip install ${PIP_OPTS} "${SETUP_PY_DIR}/"
+    else
+      log_info "--- no dependency management tool, nor requirements file nor setup.py file found: skip install dependencies"
+    fi
+  }
+
+  function _run() {
+    if [[ -f "poetry.lock" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
+      if ! command -v poetry > /dev/null
+      then
+        pip install -U poetry
+      fi
+      poetry run "$@"
+    else
+      "$@"
+    fi
+  }
+
+  function _python() {
+    _run python "$@"
+  }
+
+  function _pip() {
+    _run pip "$@"
+  }
+
+  function _package(){
+     if [[ -f "poetry.lock" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
+      pip install -U poetry
+      poetry build
+    else
+      python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel
+    fi
+  }
+  function _publish() {
+    if [[ -f "poetry.lock" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
+      pip install -U poetry
+      poetry config repositories.user_defined  "$TWINE_REPOSITORY_URL"
+      poetry publish --username "$TWINE_USERNAME" --password "$TWINE_PASSWORD" --repository user_defined
+    else
+      pip install -U twine setuptools
+      pip list
+
+      twine upload --verbose dist/*.tar.gz
+      twine upload --verbose dist/*.whl
+    fi
+  }
+
+  function _release() {
+    if [[ -f "poetry.lock" ]] && [[ "${PYTHON_POETRY_DISABLED}" != "true" ]]; then
+      pip install -U poetry
+      poetry version "${RELEASE_VERSION_PART}"
+    else
+      pip install -U bumpversion
+      release_args
+      bumpversion "${bumpversion_args}"
+    fi
+  }
+  function release_args() {
+    if [[ -f ".bumpversion.cfg" ]]; then
+      log_info "--- .bumpversion.cfg file found "
+      export bumpversion_args="${RELEASE_VERSION_PART} --verbose"
+    else
+      log_info "---  No .bumpversion.cfg file found "
+      if [[ -f "setup.py" ]]; then
+        log_info "---  Getting current version of setup.py file "
+        current_version=$(python setup.py --version)
+        export bumpversion_args=" --verbose --current-version ${current_version} --tag --tag-name {new_version} --commit ${RELEASE_VERSION_PART} setup.py"
+      else
+        log_warn "---  No setup.py file found. Cannot perform release."
+      fi
+    fi
+    log_info "--- Release args: ${bumpversion_args}"
+  }
+
+
+
+
   function get_latest_template_version() {
     tag_json=$(wget -T 5 -q -O - "$CI_API_V4_URL/projects/to-be-continuous%2F$1/repository/tags?per_page=1" || echo "")
     echo "$tag_json" | sed -rn 's/^.*"name":"([^"]*)".*$/\1/p'
@@ -347,20 +373,20 @@ py-lint:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: build
   script:
-    - install_requirements
-    - pip install pylint_gitlab
+    - mkdir -p reports
+    - chmod o+rwx reports
+    - install_requirements build
+    - _pip install -U pylint_gitlab
     - |
-      if ! pylint --ignore=.cache --output-format=text  ${PYLINT_ARGS}  ${PYLINT_FILES:-$(find -type f -name "*.py")}
+      if ! _run pylint --ignore=.cache --output-format=text  ${PYLINT_ARGS}  ${PYLINT_FILES:-$(find -type f -name "*.py")}
       then
         # failed: also generate codeclimate report
-        mkdir -p reports
-        chmod o+rwx reports
-        pylint --ignore=.cache --output-format=pylint_gitlab.GitlabCodeClimateReporter  ${PYLINT_ARGS} ${PYLINT_FILES:-$(find -type f -name "*.py")} > reports/pylint-codeclimate.json
+
+        _run pylint --ignore=.cache --output-format=pylint_gitlab.GitlabCodeClimateReporter  ${PYLINT_ARGS} ${PYLINT_FILES:-$(find -type f -name "*.py")} > reports/pylint-codeclimate.json
         exit 1
       else
         # success: generate empty codeclimate report (required by GitLab :( )
-        mkdir -p reports
-        chmod o+rwx reports
+
         echo "[]" > reports/pylint-codeclimate.json
       fi
   artifacts:
@@ -387,8 +413,8 @@ py-compile:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: build
   script:
-    - install_requirements
-    - python -m compileall $PYTHON_COMPILE_ARGS
+    - install_requirements build
+    - _python -m compileall $PYTHON_COMPILE_ARGS
   rules:
     # exclude merge requests
     - if: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_ID
@@ -405,15 +431,14 @@ py-unittest:
   script:
     - mkdir -p reports
     - chmod o+rwx reports
-    - install_requirements
-    - install_test_requirements
+    - install_requirements test
     # code coverage
-    - pip install -U coverage
+    - _pip install -U coverage
     # JUnit XML report
-    - pip install -U unittest-xml-reporting
-    - coverage run -m xmlrunner discover -o "reports/" $UNITTEST_ARGS
-    - coverage report -m
-    - coverage xml -o "reports/coverage.xml"
+    - _pip install -U unittest-xml-reporting
+    - _run coverage run -m xmlrunner discover -o "reports/" $UNITTEST_ARGS
+    - _run coverage report -m
+    - _run coverage xml -o "reports/coverage.xml"
   coverage: /^TOTAL.+?(\d+\%)$/
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME artifacts from $CI_PROJECT_NAME on $CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG"
@@ -436,12 +461,11 @@ py-pytest:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: build
   script:
-    - install_requirements
-    - install_test_requirements
     - mkdir -p reports
     - chmod o+rwx reports
-    - pip install -U pytest pytest-cov coverage
-    - python -m pytest --junit-xml=reports/TEST-pytests.xml --cov --cov-report term  --cov-report xml:reports/coverage.xml ${PYTEST_ARGS}
+    - install_requirements test
+    - _pip install -U pytest pytest-cov coverage
+    - _python -m pytest --junit-xml=reports/TEST-pytests.xml --cov --cov-report term  --cov-report xml:reports/coverage.xml ${PYTEST_ARGS}
   coverage: /^TOTAL.+?(\d+\%)$/
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME artifacts from $CI_PROJECT_NAME on $CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG"
@@ -464,11 +488,10 @@ py-nosetests:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: build
   script:
-    - install_requirements
-    - install_test_requirements
     - mkdir -p reports
     - chmod o+rwx reports
-    - nosetests --with-xunit --xunit-file=reports/TEST-nosetests.xml --with-coverage --cover-erase --cover-xml --cover-xml-file=reports/coverage.xml --cover-html --cover-html-dir=reports/coverage ${NOSETESTS_ARGS}
+    - install_requirements test
+    - _run nosetests --with-xunit --xunit-file=reports/TEST-nosetests.xml --with-coverage --cover-erase --cover-xml --cover-xml-file=reports/coverage.xml --cover-html --cover-html-dir=reports/coverage ${NOSETESTS_ARGS}
   coverage: /^TOTAL.+?(\d+\%)$/
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME artifacts from $CI_PROJECT_NAME on $CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG"
@@ -494,14 +517,14 @@ py-bandit:
   # force no dependencies
   dependencies: []
   script:
-    - pip install -U bandit
+    - mkdir -p reports
+    - chmod o+rwx reports
+    - _pip install -U bandit
     - |
-      if ! bandit ${TRACE+--verbose} ${BANDIT_ARGS}
+      if ! _run bandit ${TRACE+--verbose} ${BANDIT_ARGS}
       then
         # failed: also generate JSON report
-        mkdir -p reports
-        chmod o+rwx reports
-        bandit ${TRACE+--verbose} --format json --output reports/bandit.json ${BANDIT_ARGS}
+        _run bandit ${TRACE+--verbose} --format json --output reports/bandit.json ${BANDIT_ARGS}
         exit 1
       fi
   artifacts:
@@ -531,14 +554,15 @@ py-safety:
   # force no dependencies
   dependencies: []
   script:
-    - install_requirements
+    - mkdir -p reports
+    - chmod o+rwx reports
+    - install_requirements build
     - |
-      if ! pip freeze | safety check --stdin ${SAFETY_ARGS}
+      if ! _pip freeze | safety check --stdin ${SAFETY_ARGS}
       then
         # failed: also generate JSON report
-        mkdir -p reports
-        chmod o+rwx reports
-        pip freeze | safety check --stdin --json --output reports/safety.json ${SAFETY_ARGS}
+
+        _pip freeze | safety check --stdin --json --output reports/safety.json ${SAFETY_ARGS}
         exit 1
       fi
   artifacts:
@@ -559,10 +583,8 @@ py-safety:
     - if: '$SAFETY_ENABLED == "true"'
       when: manual
       allow_failure: true
-
-
 ###############################################################################################
-#                                      pakage stage                                           #
+#                                      package stage                                           #
 ###############################################################################################
 
 # (on tag creation): create packages as artifacts
@@ -570,7 +592,7 @@ py-package:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: package-build
   script:
-    - python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel
+    - _package
   artifacts:
     paths:
       - $PYTHON_PROJECT_DIR/dist/*.tar.gz
@@ -580,6 +602,7 @@ py-package:
     - if: '$CI_COMMIT_TAG'
     - if: '$PYTHON_FORCE_PACKAGE == "true"'
 
+
 ###############################################################################################
 #                                      publish stage                                           #
 ###############################################################################################
@@ -591,27 +614,23 @@ py-publish:
   script:
     - assert_defined "$TWINE_USERNAME" 'Missing required env $TWINE_USERNAME'
     - assert_defined "$TWINE_PASSWORD" 'Missing required env $TWINE_PASSWORD'
-    - pip install -U twine setuptools
-    - pip list
-    - twine upload --verbose dist/*.tar.gz
-    - twine upload --verbose dist/*.whl
+    - _publish
   rules:
     # on tags with $TWINE_USERNAME set
     - if: '$TWINE_USERNAME && $CI_COMMIT_TAG'
-
 # (on tag creation): generates the documentation
 py-docs:
   extends: .python-base
   stage: publish
   script:
     - install_doc_requirements
-    - pip install -U sphinx
+    - run_python -m pip install -U sphinx
     - cd ${DOCS_DIRECTORY}
     - make ${DOCS_MAKE_ARGS}
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME artifacts from $CI_PROJECT_NAME on $CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG"
     paths:
-      - $DOCS_BUILD_DIR
+      - ${DOCS_DIRECTORY}/$DOCS_BUILD_DIR
   rules:
     # on tags with $DOCS_ENABLED set
     - if: '$DOCS_ENABLED == "true" && $CI_COMMIT_TAG'
@@ -624,9 +643,7 @@ py-release:
     - git config --global user.email '$GITLAB_USER_EMAIL'
     - git config --global user.name '$GITLAB_USER_LOGIN'
     - git checkout -B $CI_BUILD_REF_NAME
-    - pip install --upgrade bumpversion
-    - release_args
-    - bumpversion ${bumpversion_args}
+    - _release
     - git_url_base=`echo ${CI_REPOSITORY_URL} | cut -d\@ -f2`
     - git push https://${RELEASE_USERNAME}:${RELEASE_ACCESS_TOKEN}@${git_url_base} --tags
     - git push https://${RELEASE_USERNAME}:${RELEASE_ACCESS_TOKEN}@${git_url_base} $CI_BUILD_REF_NAME