Bureaucratic procedure (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
red tape
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">bureaucratic procedure</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(synonyms)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is all the clue.<br/ ></span>
(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" .)