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The reactor and the research centre were built in the years 1957-1959, by the CNRN (Comitato Nazionale per le Ricerche Nucleari ), which later became the Italian Committee for Nuclear Energy (CNEN, Comitato Nazionale per l’Energia Nucleare). In accordance with the agreement ratified by the Italian Parliament on 1 August 1960 (Law No. 906), on 1 March 1961, the Centre in Ispra came under the management of Euratom, with the exception of the Reactor “Ispra 1”, which, until 1 March 1963, was run by the CNEN. This reactor, which was similar to the American CP5 and was used for research, continued to work until 1973.