European foreign ministers begin arriving in Brussels.

At the meeting here in the Belgian capital, they're expected to beef up sanctions against Syria, and tighten the EU's arms embargo on the country.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton emphasized the need for Bashar al-Assad to go.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF CATHERINE ASHTON SAYING:

"We have to continue to be very, very clear in our belief that Assad has to step aside. He needs to now consider the future of the Syrian people and consider how best they can have the kind of future that we believe is right for Syria and that is a future of democracy and freedom."

Sweden's foreign minister, Carl Bildt, added that it's also important to start planning for what happens after Assad's fall.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER CARL BILDT SAYING:

"The regime will fall. But it will leave Syria in a very difficult situation, so we need to increase the focus on what we can do the day after."

The bloc has already imposed sanctions such as asset freezes and travel bans, and an arms embargo on Syria as a nation.

The tougher regulations will oblige the 27 member states to inspect and search ships in EU territorial waters and planes at EU airports if they have "reasonable grounds" to suspect they are carrying arms or equipment to be used for repression in Syria.

The talks in Belgium come as thousands of Syrians rush to the border with Lebanon, largely fleeing violence in the capital Damascus.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, up to 30,000 Syrian refugees have crossed into Lebanon over the past week.

Travis Brecher, Reuters