Europe’s freshwaters remain under severe pressure, with most water bodies failing to achieve good ecological status despite two decades of effort under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The newly adopted Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) offers an unprecedented legislative push to reverse ecosystem degradation, including binding targets for river connectivity, floodplain reconnection and wetland recovery. As both instruments converge on similar pressures and shared landscapes, their alignment will be decisive for Europe’s water resilience in the face of climate change. This Policy Brief explores how joint implementation of the WFD and NRR can transform restoration outcomes across Europe.