A campaign was launched in 2010 aiming to collect enough signatures to force a referendum on EU membership for San Marino.[17][18][19] The Guarantor Board approved the referendum on 15 November 2010,[20] and the referendum was set for 27 March 2011.[21] However, after the government sent a letter to the President of the European Commission requesting "open negotiations aimed at achieving a greater integration of the Republic of San Marino at the European level" on 20 January 2011,[21][22] the government argued that the referendum should be canceled since the question had been resolved, even though the letter did not request full membership in the EU for San Marino.[23] The Guarantor Board accepted this argument and canceled the referendum on 24 February.[21]