Commerce was a division of the Coalition for Progress inside the Galactic Empire's Commission for the Preservation of the New Order. Its responsibility was to create suitable galactic standards inside economic structures, guaranteeing Imperial dominance, and its authority spanned the galaxy. Beaumont Kin, a historian, provided a short description of the division in his book, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, released in 35 ABY.
Within established Star Wars canon, Commerce is referenced in Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, a reference book from 2024 authored by Dr. Chris Kempshall. The department initially appeared in the Star Wars Legends continuity, with its debut mention in the Imperial Sourcebook, a 1989 add-on for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game by Greg Gorden, issued by West End Games.