Bureaucratic procedure (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
red tape
'bureaucratic procedure' is the definition.
(synonyms)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for red tape that I've seen before include "Colourful ribbon associated with bureaucracy" , "Irritating bureaucracy" , "What may be binding" , "Excessive bureaucracy (3.4)" , "Scarlet ribbon of bureaucracy" .)