<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def parse_requirements(requirements_file):
 """ Create a list for the 'install_requires' component of the setup function by parsing a requirements file """


    if os.path.exists(requirements_file):
        # return a list that contains each line of the requirements file
        return open(requirements_file, 'r').read().splitlines()
    else:
        print("ERROR: requirements file " + requirements_file + " not found.")
        sys.exit(1)