New
New
Year 10

What is the UK's role in the World Trade Organization?

I can explain the function of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and how the UK plays a part in this international organisation.

New
New
Year 10

What is the UK's role in the World Trade Organization?

I can explain the function of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and how the UK plays a part in this international organisation.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The WTO ensures fair trade by creating rules, transparency and providing a platform for global discussions.
  2. The WTO works to prevent trade conflicts by supporting regulation and promoting open, fair trade practices.
  3. The WTO has 166 members, with the Ministerial Conference at the top and the General Council managing daily operations.
  4. The UK plays a key role in the WTO by contributing to its budget and shaping fair global trade policies.

Keywords

  • Trade - the action of buying and selling goods and services

  • World Trade Organization (WTO) - an international organisation which deals with the global rules of trade between nations

Common misconception

The WTO deals with what we buy and sell other nations. It acts as a regulator.

The WTO does not control specific goods or services we trade. It oversees the rules, policies and agreements that guide trade between countries, ensuring fairness and transparency, and works to prevent conflicts.


To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: What is the UK's role in the World Trade Organization?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to focus on the WTO’s role in setting rules for trade, rather than specific products, to avoid confusion. It may be helpful to explain that WTO is spelled using the US spelling of 'organisation', so should be styled as such, but the UK spelling should be used in all other instances.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Which year was the UN founded?
1919
Correct answer: 1945
1955
1961
Q2.
The UN was created to promote peace and ...
Correct Answer: security
Q3.
What is one goal of the Commonwealth?
promote war
Correct answer: support democracy and human rights
build nuclear weapons
end free trade
Q4.
Who is the current Head of the Commonwealth?
Sir Keir Starmer
Correct answer: King Charles III
Antonio Guterres
Joe Biden
Q5.
Which organ of the UN does the UK hold a permanent seat at?
General Assembly
Sustainable Development Goals Committee
Correct answer: Security Council
Q6.
Match the word to its definition.
Correct Answer:Commonwealth,a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries

a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries

Correct Answer:empire,a collection of territories/countries governed by a single power

a collection of territories/countries governed by a single power

Correct Answer:veto,the right to reject a decision or proposal

the right to reject a decision or proposal

Correct Answer:permanent member,the five nations who permanently sit on the UN Security Council

the five nations who permanently sit on the UN Security Council

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the main purpose of the WTO?
to make international trade more difficult
to create new currencies
to protect rich countries
Correct answer: to promote free and fair trade between countries
Q2.
Match the word to its definition
Correct Answer:trade,the action of buying and selling goods and services

the action of buying and selling goods and services

Correct Answer:bilateral trade,trade between two countries

trade between two countries

Correct Answer:multilateral trade,involves three or more countries trading together

involves three or more countries trading together

Q3.
How many members are there of the WTO as of 2024?
45
100
Correct answer: 166
250
Q4.
What does the WTO help settle between countries?
Correct Answer: disputes, disagreements, arguments, conflicts
Q5.
The WTO requires all countries trading rules and practices to have ...
Correct answer: transparency
corruption
profits
exploitation
Q6.
What does the WTO regulate?
what countries can buy and sell from each other
Correct answer: the policies and procedures of how trade works between countries
the price of products sold between countries