European Union ambassadors will discuss imposing sanctions on Syria at a special meeting Friday on the regime's crackdown on protesters, an EU spokesman said Wednesday.

"I can't tell you what's on the table. All options are on the table," Michael Mann, spokesman for EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton, told a news briefing, adding that the measures the EU could take remained "unclear."

"If there's any need for any concrete actions to be taken, that can be done very quickly," Mann said. "We are acting as fast as possible, but of course we must have the agreement of all 27 member states to take such measures."

Mann condemned the crackdown, saying it was "unacceptable to shoot at protesters... What the regime is doing is unacceptable."

Germany said Wednesday it would strongly back EU sanctions against Syria over its violent repression of anti-government protests.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said measures could include restricting the travel of top Syrian officials and seizing their assets, as well as cutting off economic assistance from the EU.

Britain said Tuesday it was working with Washington and the EU to send a "strong signal" to Syria including sanctions.

And France's foreign ministry said that Paris was urging the UN and the EU to take "strong measures" against Syria to halt the violence.

Diplomats said Monday that Britain, France, Germany and Portugal were seeking a UN Security Council condemnation of the killing of hundreds of demonstrators in Syria and a call for an independent investigation.