In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the EU has published a new trade strategy. Unfortunately, the text does not address the impact of trade on the root causes of pandemics. Considering such a question would have revealed another important omission in the EU trade strategy: the text does not address the interlinkages between trade and animal welfare. This Opinion considers how the EU should address animal welfare in trade policy in order to contribute to promote sustainable and resilient economies.