The current report is a background for a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) of the bark beetle species Ips amitinus in the PRA area of Norway, following the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures ISPM 11 (FAO 2004). The report is based on updated information about distribution, pathogenicity and ecological information, which add to a previous PRA for this species. It is concluded that the risk of establishment is high with the current import and management practices. I. amitinus may potentially cause significant tree damage alone or in interaction with Ips typographus; however, the outcome is very much dependent on scenarios of climate development and population dynamics.